The Daily Star
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today accused Islami Bank of being used to “support electioneering activities for a political party” and said arrangements would be made to return ownership of the bank to its lawful shareholders.
“I had earlier stated in my speech that the percentage of shareholding of the bank should be disclosed. I request the honourable finance minister to ask the governor of Bangladesh Bank to publish this before the nation,” he said while taking part in a discussion under Rule 68 of the Rules of Procedure in parliament.
His remarks came in response to a notice submitted earlier by Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman, who called for the return of Islami Bank’s shares to their rightful owners and an end to what he called “unwarranted, illegal and unexpected interference” in the bank’s management.
Referring to the notice, Salahuddin said the deputy leader of the opposition had claimed that shares were looted and purchased.
“But, for example, I want to say that Ibn Sina sold its two percent shares in the block market at three times the price. According to the current shareholding status, about 81 percent seems to belong to one group. Measures will be taken to return ownership to the genuine shareholders. Let the percentage of shareholding be published,” he said.
The home minister argued that claims were now being made that neither Jamaat-e-Islami nor certain individuals owned the bank.
Salahuddin also referred to the Rural Development Scheme (RDS), Islami Bank’s flagship rural development programme, alleging that it had been used to distribute money ahead of elections.
He claimed that many women received Tk 10,000 before elections.
“One of my activists asked a recipient, ‘Where did you get this?’ She replied, ‘My son said it was from the Quran’s party. If we don’t take it, we won’t go to heaven. They gave Tk 10,000 and said another Tk 10,000 would come,'” he said.
Salahuddin Ahmed said Tk 22,000 crore was distributed through the RDS project, with Tk 11,000 crore disbursed earlier and another Tk 11,000 crore after August 5, 2024 “to cross the election river.”
On the appointment of the bank’s new chairman, Salahuddin said a chairman must be allowed to perform his duties.
Salahuddin said Bangladesh Bank had informed the government that no charges had been proven against the officer appointed to the position.
“There was no investigation. If new allegations arise, they will be investigated,” he said.
He noted that the law empowers Bangladesh Bank, in the public interest, to prevent activities harmful to depositors or the interests of a bank, and that banks are obliged to comply with such directives.
The minister further alleged that after August 5, 2024, Nabil Group received Tk 700 crore in loans against letters of credit from the bank but failed to repay the money after selling the goods.
“People say that money went into a party’s election fund. They set up a TV channel, and we know which side that channel plays for,” he said.
He added that the group’s liabilities to the bank stood at Tk 16,000 crore, yet no investigation had been launched.
Salahuddin demanded investigations into loans, including Tk 40 crore allegedly disbursed before elections without head office approval, as well as airline tickets from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar purchased under the guise of corporate social responsibility.
He also alleged that after the bank was seized, 9,000 employees were unlawfully dismissed and 6,000 politically aligned individuals were recruited. He further claimed that around 13,000 promotions were granted, often three grades above the normal category.
“These irregularities have happened, honourable Speaker. And they were done in the name of Islam. If investigations are carried out, perhaps some of our names will also appear,” he said.
The minister called for investigations into all allegations of money laundering.
“Since allegations have been raised that S Alam Group laundered lakhs of crores of taka, we demand that all money laundering be investigated under Bangladesh Bank’s leadership. Everyone who siphoned off the people’s money abroad must be investigated,” he said.
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/news/the-parliament-watch/parliament/news/islami-bank-was-used-support-electioneering-certain-political-party-salahuddin-4194691
