The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) will launch probes into the graft allegations of unusual wealth accumulations by politicians, including ministers and state ministers in the newspapers.
“The Commission has in principle decided to conduct probes into allegations against controversial politicians to ascertain how they acquired huge wealth in five years,” a senior official of the commission told UNB wishing anonymity.
He said the inquiry officials are scrutinising the media reports published on accumulation of unusual wealth by politicians, and these reports would be placed to the Commission soon for final approval.
Another ACC source said the national graft watchdog in the first phase will launch probes against 8-10 politicians of the ruling party, including former State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan, former Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, former State Minister for Water Resources M Mahbubur Rahman and former Environment and Forests Minister Hasan Mahmud.
As per the affidavits of candidates submitted to the Election Commission for the last 10th parliamentary polls, the income of whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury (Liton) has increased by 32,985 percent, followed by M Mahbubur Rahman 8,422 percent, deputy speaker Shawkat Ali 4,435 percent, former Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr Afsarul Ameen 2,480 percent and Hasan Mahmud 2,036 percent.
The income of Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, in terms of money, has increased by about Tk 15 crore while that of Mahbubur Rahman by nearly Tk 2 crore, and Hasan Mahmud by over Tk 2 crore.
The wealth of Noor-E-Alam has increased by over Tk 41 crore (6,424 percent) while that of Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir over Tk 17 crore, Hasan Mahmud about Tk 15 crore, Dr AFM Ruhal Haque Tk 10 crore, Suranjit Sengupta about Tk 8 crore and Abdul Mannan Khan over Tk 7 crore.
According to the information given in the affidavits, it was found that the wealth of the 48 candidates have increased by 363 percent in last five years while that of ministers by 247 percent; state ministers 459 percent; and deputy leader of parliament, chief whip and whip 1,689 percent; Prime Minister 46 percent and deputy speaker 238 percent.
The ACC sources said the commission will soon form its probe teams to launch inquiry against the graft allegations against the ruling party politicians.
After formation of the probe bodies, the inquiry officials will conduct a preliminary probe into the graft allegations against the politicians and if the teams will find irregularities in acquiring their wealth, the politicians will be asked to submit their wealth statements to the Commission, an inquiry officer (deputy director level) of the ACC told UNB.
Source: UNB Connect