ACC approves 3 charge sheets against former Pirojpur-1 lawmaker Awal

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved charge sheets in three cases filed against former Awami League lawmaker AKMA Awal in Pirojpur-1 constituency for allegedly constructing a facility by taking out a lease on khas land.

The approval came at a meeting of the commission on Wednesday, said Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya, the spokesman for the anti-graft agency.

ACC Deputy Director Ali Akbar filed the three cases with the agency's integrated district office in Barisal on 30 December 2019.

Awal's wife Laila Parveen was also made accused in the case.

Pranab said the charge sheets were approved after the ACC official reported to the commission following an investigation into the cases. 

He added that the charge sheets would be submitted to the judicial court soon.

In the lawsuit against Awal, it was said he had misused power to lease land from the government showing six fake persons as landless. 

Later, the former lawmaker erected a three-story building in the government land in the name of his wife and rented it out to Pirojpur Palli Bidyut Samiti.

Similarly, Awal illegally occupied khas land near Swarupkathi Upazila bungalow and built a modern house of such kind there. 

In another case, it was said Mr Awal illegally occupied 44 decimal of khas land known as Raja's Pond in Khumuria Mouza of Pirojpur city and built a wall around it.  

Besides, on 30 September last year, the ACC filed two separate cases against the lawmaker for acquiring illegal assets worth Tk33,27,89,755 and against his wife Laila Parveen worth Tk10,98,90,050.

Later, the charge sheets in these two cases were filed with the court.

Awal became a lawmaker in Pirojpur-1 constituency twice in 2008 and 2014 on the Awami League ticket.

However, he was not given the party nomination to vie for the polls on 30 December 2018.

Instead of him, incumbent Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim was given the nomination for the last parliamentary election in the constituency.