Dhaka, August 5 (V7N) - The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh is set to file a case against former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque over allegations of fraudulently obtaining a residential plot in Dhaka. All formal preparations have been completed, and the case will be filed on Wednesday, August 6, at the ACC’s Dhaka-1 office by Assistant Director Abdullah Al Mamun, according to ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain.

Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Akhtar Hossain said that a total of seven individuals, including the former chief justice, will be named as accused in the case.

According to the ACC, Khairul Haque obtained a 10-katha plot in Purbachal Residential Area in 2003 by violating Rajuk's (Capital Development Authority) rules, despite already owning a six-storey house in Dhaka—a direct conflict with eligibility guidelines. At the time, he was serving as the country’s chief justice. The ACC alleges that he abused his official position to acquire the plot through misrepresentation and forgery.

After the irregularity was discovered, Rajuk initially cancelled the plot allotment. However, in 2009, Khairul Haque reapplied and had the plot reallocated. When he was first granted the plot, he failed to deposit Tk 6.5 lakh, as required. By 2010, the unpaid amount had accrued Tk 4.44 lakh in interest. Despite this, Rajuk’s board unlawfully waived the interest without proper legal grounds. It was further decided at that meeting that no such waiver would be granted to anyone else in the future.

In a separate development, the ACC has filed another high-profile corruption case against 17 individuals, including Sheikh Abdul Hai Bacchu, the former chairman of BASIC Bank, over the embezzlement of Tk 30 crore from the state-owned financial institution.

The case was lodged on Tuesday by Deputy Director Ranjit Kumar Karmakar at the ACC’s Dhaka-1 office. The accused include several former directors and top executives of the bank, as well as business associates.

According to the case statement, the accused, acting in collusion, misappropriated funds with the intent to secure unlawful financial gain. Other key accused include former directors Shubhashish Bose, Shyam Sundar Sikder, Nilufar Ahmed, Kamrun Nahar Ahmed, M Rezaur Rahman, AKM Kamrul Islam, and Anwarul Islam (FCMA); former managing director Fakhrul Islam; former company secretary Shah Alam Bhuiyan; former general manager Shipar Ahmed; former deputy GM Omar Faruk; and former credit in-charge SM Zahid Hasan.

Also named are Mohammad Masud Rana, owner of M/S Four S Steel Company, and Shahida Akter Shimu and Kamal Hossain Selim, both residents of Alam Bagh in Shyampur Jurain, Dhaka.

The ACC said investigations are ongoing, and further legal proceedings will follow based on evidence gathered during the inquiry process. The latest actions are part of a broader anti-corruption campaign aimed at restoring integrity in public service and financial institutions.

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