The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday pressed money-laundering charges against BNP's Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman and his business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun.
ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Ibrahim submitted the charge sheet to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka, accusing the two of laundering Tk 20.41 crore in between 2003 and 2007.
Tarique had realised the money in foreign currencies from different companies and organisations. For the sums, he had promised to win them contracts using his clout as son of the then prime minister Khaleda Zia, read the charge sheet.
To conceal his identity while drawing the money, Tarique used a supplementary debit card issued against Mamun's account with Citibank Singapore.
Besides the amount shown as laundered, Tarique drew $54,982 (Tk 38.49 lakh) and Mamun $79,542 (Tk 55.68 lakh) from the account on different dates in 2003-07.
Both avoided straight answers to queries on the matter, the charge sheet said. On February 23, Tarique mailed a written statement to the commission.
In a press briefing yesterday, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the charges are “totally false” and designed to keep Tarique from politics.
CHARGE SHEET SUMMARY
The ACC came to know about Tarique's card from his wealth statement submitted to the commission on June 7, 2007.
In the statement, Tarique mentioned that he has a supplementary debit card with Citibank in Singapore.
The ACC investigation later found the card was issued against Mamun's Citibank account.
Mamun too was asked by the anti-graft body to submit wealth accounts, but he did not comply.
In interrogation by the joint forces during the caretaker government rule, he however confessed to having ill-gotten money in Citibank Singapore and NatWest Bank in UK.
Following the confession, the ACC found euros worth Tk 1.19 crore, dollars worth Tk 19.02 crore and pounds worth Tk 19.51 lakh in his Citibank account.
Citing a few sources from where the laundered money came, the charge sheet said Hosaf Group Chairman Moazzem Hossain deposited $11.67 lakh (Tk 8.2 crore) as “power plant consultancy fee” in the Citibank account on January 16, 2003.
On August 1 the same year, Nirman Construction Chairman Khadiza Islam sent $7.50 lakh (5.25 crore) to the account from OCC Bank in Singapore. The firm was trying to get the work of constructing an 80MW power plant in Tongi.
A Mayer Cie-Re paid $4.20 lakh (Tk 2.94 crore) on June 5 and Merina Zaman paid $30,000 (Tk 21 lakh) into the Citibank account on September 26 the same year.
Besides, $4.11 lakh (Tk 2.88 crore) was put into the account from unnamed sources.
Mamun brought Tk 20.41 crore to his Sonali Bank account back home during the caretaker government rule. The amount was later deposited in favour of the government in Bangladesh Bank.
The charge sheet said Tarique and Mamun have committed crimes by receiving money in foreign currencies in a foreign bank account and concealing information about it.
Mohammad Ibrahim filed the case with Dhaka Cantonment Police Station on October 26 last year.
The two were arrested during a massive drive against corruption in 2007.
On bail from the Supreme Court, Tarique is now in London for treatment. He stands accused in 14 criminal cases.
Mamun, an accused in a dozen cases, is now in jail custody and convicted in three cases including an arms case and two graft cases.
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