‘Hall-Mark probe report ready’

The report would be submitted by Monday, ACC Commissioner M Sahabuddin told reporters on Thursday.

He said, “The final report is ready. ACC Director General Ziauddin Ahmed has it with him right now. He is evaluating the report and said he will be done by Sunday.”

Bangladesh was shaken after the financial scandal involving Hall-Mark Group and its six associate companies came to light last year. The companies took away Tk 36.06 billion through irregularities from state-owned Sonali Bank’s Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Branch with Hall-Mark alone taking Tk 25 billion.

The ACC launched investigations in August same year.

After preliminary inquiry, the anti-graft watchdog filed 11 cases against Hall-Mark Group Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud, his wife and Group Chairman Jesmin Islam, her brother, General Manager Tushar Ahmed and 20 Sonali Bank officials on Oct 4 last year.

All the three accused in Hall-Mark Group were arrested but Jesmin secured bail recently giving an undertaking that she would pay back Tk 1 billion every month.

ACC Deputy Director Mir Mohammad Zainul Abedin Shibli, who led the investigation team, told bdnews24.com that the report was supposed to be submitted in August, but they could not do that as seven private banks did not non-cooperate during the probe.

He said, “We submitted the report to the Director General very recently. The sooner it is handed over to the Commission, the easier it will become for us to move forth with the cases.”

Source: Bd news24