ACC finds Tk3,181cr ‘suspicious’ transactions in Nasrul’s 98 bank accounts
His son and wife have been sued over suspicious transactions of over Tk35 crore. Together, the three are also accused of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk64 crore
Highlights:
- Nasrul Hamid sued for amassing Tk 36.37 crore illegally
- Son Zarif Hamid sued over Tk 20.87 crore illicit wealth
- Wife Seema Hamid accused of acquiring Tk 6.94 crore illegally
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has unearthed "unusual and suspicious transactions" in 98 bank accounts linked to former state minister for power and energy Nasrul Hamid. These accounts reportedly saw deposits of over Tk3,181 crore and withdrawals of Tk 3,180 crore.
Addressing a press briefing at the ACC headquarters yesterday, ACC Director General Akhter Hossain confirmed that cases have been filed against Nasrul, his wife Seema Hamid, and son Zarif Hamid for allegedly amassing illegal assets worth over Tk64 crore.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Nasrul faces charges for acquiring Tk36.37 crore in illegal assets, while his son and wife are accused of unlawfully holding Tk20.87 crore and Tk6.94 crore, respectively. The investigation revealed that Zarif operated 13 bank accounts where Tk7.84 crore had been deposited, with Tk5.82 crore withdrawn. Seema Hamid, meanwhile, maintained 20 accounts, which saw deposits of Tk12.78 crore and withdrawals of Tk11.18 crore.
The trail of corruption widened in August when the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) froze Nasrul and his wife's bank accounts.
Shortly after the fall of the Awami League government, law enforcement agencies raided a Banani property owned by Nasrul. The operation yielded Tk1 crore in cash, a firearm, and 50 rounds of ammunition, further fueling allegations of financial impropriety.
A damning report from a White Paper Committee on the state of the economy has implicated the power sector in rampant corruption. The report estimates that $30 billion has been invested in the sector since 2010, with at least $3 billion siphoned off as kickbacks — 10% of the project costs allegedly funnelled as commissions.
The rot, according to the report, ran deep. It stated that nepotism and corruption at the top filtered down into every project, with allegations centred on power plant contracts awarded in exchange for hefty commissions.
While the installed capacity of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) power plants currently stands at 27,740 MW, the country is generating no more than 15,000 MW. This disparity underscores the inefficiency and systemic issues plaguing the sector — a grim reflection of the alleged graft that has drained public coffers.
