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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has sued five individuals, including the former Member of Parliament representing the Narsingdi-2 constituency, Kamrul Ashraf Khan (Poton), for allegedly embezzling government fertiliser valued worth approximately Tk 582 crore without proper distribution.
On Sunday, the case was officially filed by Rafiquzzaman, Deputy Director of ACC's Dhaka Integrated District Office-1, who acted as the plaintiff in the matter, ACC officials said.
The accused individuals include the owner of the contracting company Poton Traders and former Member of Parliament Kamrul Ashraf Khan (Poton), the general manager of the company, Shahadat Hossain (Nipu), and Md Nazmul Alam (Badal). Additionally, Poton Traders' North Bengal Representative, Sohrab Hossain, and representative for Khulna and Noapara, Md. Ataur Rahman, are also named as defendants in the case.
According to the case statement, the defendants, acting in collusion, imported urea fertiliser from overseas for distribution in the financial year 2021-2022. However, they allegedly breached the contract terms, misappropriating a total of 71,801 tons of urea fertiliser valued at Tk 581 crore 58 lakh 9 thousand, and 64 taka. Poton Traders, owned by Kamrul Ashraf Khan (Poton), was contractually obligated to deliver the fertiliser to the warehouse within 50 days. Instead, they reportedly provided false information to the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), falsely claiming that the fertiliser was in transit.
According to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigation, the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, in collaboration with its local representative M/s Poton Traders and Principal Dry Bunk Shipping (Pvt.) Ltd., entered into a total of 13 local transportation contracts for the supply of 93,245.530 tons of urea fertiliser to various warehouses. Among these contracts, Poton Traders, a company owned by Ashraf Khan (Poton), received 215,377.566 tons of urea fertiliser under 37 agreements. However, the company allegedly supplied only 143,576.258 tons, resulting in the purported embezzlement of 71,801.31 kg of urea fertiliser.
The inquiry additionally uncovered that a total of 43 letters, including successive and demand letters, were issued to M/s Poton Traders, urging the prompt delivery of the undelivered urea fertiliser in transit. The investigation committee constituted by the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) substantiated the validity of the allegations. The embezzlement is reported to have taken place between November 1, 2021, and July 30, 2022. The accused individuals are facing charges under Section 409/420/109 of the Penal Code.
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