Photo: Collected
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated an investigation into former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, and several parliamentarians. The investigation focuses on allegations of bribery, recruitment trade, and illegal syndicates involved in sending workers abroad.
Two separate inquiry committees have been established, led by Jahangir Alam and Nurul Huda, Deputy Directors of the ACC. According to Md. Aktarul Islam, Deputy Director of Public Relations at the ACC, the committees will look into the charges.
Additionally, several prominent figures are under scrutiny, including Additional Secretary Harun Or Rashid Biswas, Joint Secretary Dhananjay Kumar Das, Administrative Officer Molla Ibrahim Hossain, Assistant Private Secretary Monir Hossain, and Public Relations Officer Sharif Mahmud Apu, all of whom are implicated in the bribery and recruitment trade syndicate.
In addition to the ongoing investigation, a syndicate led by former MP Nizam Uddin Hazari, Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, and former MP Benazir Ahmed is also under scrutiny for embezzling funds through fraudulent worker recruitment schemes.
The ACC has received complaints alleging that former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal engaged in bribery while in office. It is reported that he received large sums of money as bribes, which were collected from various departments, including the police, drug control department, and fire service. This money was allegedly transported to his residences in Dhanmondi and Farmgate, with officials from these departments reportedly visiting his home every night.
The syndicate led by Harun or Rashid Biswas, along with Dhananjay Kumar Das, Monir Hossain, Sharif Mahmud Apu, and Molla Ibrahim Hossain, has reportedly been involved in extensive bribery and corruption. This network, known as the Kamal-Harun syndicate, is alleged to have accumulated thousands of crores of takas through illegal transactions related to recruitment, transfers, promotions, and various commissions.
Even after Harun or Rashid's retirement, the syndicate continued its operations, with a significant portion of the bribe money being smuggled abroad. For instance, bribes ranging from Tk 80 lakhs to Tk 2 crores were demanded for the appointment of Superintendent of Police in various districts. It is alleged that no police appointments to district or significant posts were made without the syndicate's influence and approval.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has received allegations that DIG Mollah Nazrul Islam was appointed as Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police (GMP) on June 30, 2022, in exchange for a bribe of five crore taka.
The Kamal Syndicate reportedly collected Tk 80 lakh to Tk 1 crore from each organization for issuing 'No Objection Certificates' (NOCs) for NGOs. Additionally, a list of recruits was sent from the minister's office for various positions in the fire service and civil defense. For instance, on October 2, 2023, 535 individuals were appointed to the fire service, with syndicate members charging Tk 8-12 lakh per person for recruitment.
The investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has uncovered allegations that former Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, former parliamentarian Nizam Uddin Hazari, Lt. Gen. (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury, and former parliamentarians Benazir Ahmed have been involved in significant embezzlement related to the recruitment of workers for Malaysia.
The syndicate is accused of extorting Tk 20,000 crores beyond the government-fixed fees for sending workers to Malaysia. The gang allegedly misled workers with false promises of jobs and charged exorbitant additional fees. Over a period of one and a half years, around 450,000 individuals were sent through a recruiting agency owned by the syndicate. The total trade during this period was estimated at Tk 24,000 crores, with Tk 20,000 crores being siphoned off as extra charges. High-ranking officials from both the Bangladeshi and Malaysian governments are also suspected of being involved in this scheme.
A senior officer of the ACC, who did not wish to be named, told The Daily Messenger that the cost per person set by the government to send workers to Malaysia is Tk 79,000. But an average Bangladeshi worker spent Tk 5,44,000 to go to Malaysia. The ministry did not take any action even though there were complaints of taking extra money from the workers. Rather, the road to creating a syndicate has been paved.
Messenger/Disha
