Staff Reporter:
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed three cases against 29 people, including former land minister and Aramit Group owner Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed, on charges of embezzling and laundering Tk141.20 crore from Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC.
Jabed’s wife Rukhmila Zaman was also named as an accused in all three cases.
Officials from the ACC head office filed the cases at the commission’s Chattogram-1 district office on Thursday.
ACC Deputy Director Mashiur Rahman, who filed one of the cases, said Tk141.20 crore was withdrawn from the Jubilee Road branch of Islami Bank in Chattogram through 27 transactions, transferred to various bank accounts and subsequently laundered to countries, including the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.
According to the case statements, money was taken from the bank to buy raw materials for cement in the name of Jabed’s company, Aramit Cement.
The bank’s money was withdrawn using fake bills and vouchers despite no actual purchases being made.
ACC is investigating allegations of the embezzlement of a total of Tk500 crore through such transactions. So far, it has found evidence of the embezzlement of Tk141.20 crore through 27 transactions.
Jabed’s wife and Aramit Cement Managing Director Rukhmila Zaman, along with several officials of the company and the bank concerned, were sued in the cases.
