The Anti-Corruption Commission sent a letter to the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank on Thursday, seeking the bank details of former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed and his family members.
The ACC inquiry team, headed by deputy director Hafizur Islam, sent the letter to the BFIU asking it to provide the bank details of Benizir and his family members by the first week of May, said ACC officials.
In the letter, the commission sought information on bank accounts, fixed deposit receipts, and savings certificates from the financial intelligence agency, they said.
Apart from the BFIU, the ACC will also send letters to some other government agencies, including the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms and the Sub-Registry Office, seeking information about Benazir and his family.
A member of the inquiry team said that they sent a letter to the BFIU while some other letters were ready and would be sent to different other government agencies seeking information on Benazir next week.
ACC commissioner Jahurul Haque said that the commission was seeking the information to scrutinise his wealth.
He said that the commission would also question Benazir over the allegations and action would be taken based on the findings.
On April 18, the commission made a decision to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth against Benazir and his family members.
A three-member inquiry team, headed by its deputy director Hafizul Islam, was formed to conduct the inquiry into the allegations.
After the decision, ACC secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen said that the ACC took the decision to carry out the inquiry based on the reports published in the media regarding the former IGP.
Several newspapers and the electronic media published a series of reports on the alleged amassing of illegal wealth by Benazir and his family members.
The reports highlighted the lavish lifestyle of the Benazir family and his holding of shares in different companies.
According to the reports, his ‘unusual assets’ did not match with the legal sources of income of the former IGP, who received from the government ‘Shuddhachar Purashkar’–an award given based on 10 criteria, including honesty, morality, and proper financial management.
The reports triggered widespread criticism of Benazir, his wife, and his daughters.
Having defended himself, Benazir claimed on April 20 that the media reports that they amassed illegal wealth were false, distorted, and intentional.
The High Court on Tuesday asked the ACC to submit a progress report on the investigation into the alleged illegal wealth of Benazir and his family within two months.
The HC came up with the order after Supreme Court lawyer Md Salah Uddin Reagan filed a writ petition, seeking its directive in this regard.
Besides, ruling Awami League lawmaker Syed Sayedul Haque Sumon also submitted an application to the ACC chairman on Sunday seeking necessary action against the former IGP.
Benazir joined the police force as an assistant superintendent of police in February 1988.
Before his retirement in 2022, he also served as the director general of the Rapid Action Battalion and commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
