Dhaka, Oct 23 – In a major development, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday imposed overseas travel ban on 22 persons including incumbent parliament members mostly from ruling party as part of its investigation into their alleged involvement in running casino business and amassing wealth illegally.Talking to this correspondent, ACC’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya yesterday said that the commission imposed travel ban against 22 persons after getting primary evidence against them over the involvement in casino business and money laundering. The commission became to know that they were trying to leave the country. Hence, the travel ban was imposed against them, he added.
ACC Director Syed Iqbal Hossain, who is the chief of the investigation team, sent a letter to the superintendent of police (immigration branch) of the Special Branch of Police in this regard.
In its letter, the commission asked the specialised unit of police to take necessary steps to prevent the 22 persons, who are now in both police custody and under the watch of law enforcers for their alleged involvement in amassing wealth illegally through casino business, from leaving the country.
Those who got overseas travel ban, they are include parliament members—Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon, and Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury— arrested controversial businessman GK Shamim, expelled Jubo League leader Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, Jubo League Dhaka South City unit president Ismail Hossain Samrat, Jubo League office secretary Kazi Anisur Rahman and his wife, Awami League leaders Enamul Hoque and Ropan Bhuiyan.
Apart from of them, the travel ban has been imposed against public works department former chief engineer Rafiqul Islam, former additional chief engineer Abdul Hye, ward councilor AKM Mominul Haque Sayeed and former managing director of NRB Global Bank Prasanta Kumar Hawlader, Kakrail Jakir Enterprise owner Md Jakir Hossain and Segun Bagicha Shafiq Enterprise owner Md Shafiqul Islam, sources in the commission said.
On October 15, the ACC said that it has detected the names of 43 people, some of them politicians and government officials, who have been making illegal wealth through illegal casino business.
The commission found the involvement of some current and former politicians and current government officials during investigation, sources said.
The commission collected the names from different sources and got preliminary evidence of their involvement in casino, ACC Secretary Muhammad Dilwar Bakth said.
The ACC may file cases against all of them under the Money Laundering Act for amassing wealth beyond known sources of income.
On September 30, the commission launched an inquiry to detect the illegal wealth of people involved in unauthorised casino operations and other illegal businesses.
At an emergency meeting on October 15, the ACC assigned its director, Syed Iqbal Hossain, as inquiry officer and its director general, Sayeed Mahbub Khan, as inquiry supervisor.
According to media reports, there are 60 illegal casinos that were operating in the capital until recently. Gambling took place regularly at the casinos situated in Segunbagicha, Motijheel, Fakirapool, Dilkusha, Bank Colony, Arambagh, Naya Paltan, Kakrail, Gulistan, Osmani Udyan, Bangabazar, Gulshan Link Road, Uttara, New Market and Kalabagan areas.
On September 18, law enforcement agencies launched drives against illegal casinos and illegal bars in the capital. Several leaders of the Awami League’s youth front, the Jubo League, and others were arrested for involvement in casino and other illegal businesses. – Staff Reporter
