Benazir Ahmed Former police chief Benazir Ahmed and his family members are subpoenaed to face ACC grilling on graft charges while their six beneficiary owner (BO) accounts frozen by the securities regulator.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Tuesday summoned the former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and his family members to quiz over graft allegations and the amassing of property beyond known sources of income.
The anti-graft watchdog asked the former IGP to appear before it on June 6 and his wife and children on June 9, sources said.
The move came days after a court ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate property of Benazir Ahmed and his family members.
Earlier on May 23, the Dhaka court ordered confiscating properties under 83 deeds, which include 114 acres of land, and freezing 33 bank accounts under the name of Benazir and his family members.
Three days later, the same court ordered attachment of assets under 119 more deeds of Benazir and his family members in connection with alleged corruption.
Also, it directed them to confiscate eight wholly-owned and 15 partially-owned properties of Benazir, his wife Jissan Mirza, and three daughters.
On April 18, the anti-graft agency decided to launch an enquiry into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth by Benazir as reported in a Bengali daily. It also formed a three-member committee to probe the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd (CDBL) locked away their securities-trading accounts in compliance with an order from the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC).
Of the BO accounts, two were opened under Benzir Ahmed's own name while another two in name of his wife and the remaining two in his one daughter's name.
As per the regulatory order, no transactions will be allowed using the accounts "until further order".
Stock dividends or bonus shares given by listed companies against share holdings will, however, be deposited into the accounts.
Cash dividends will be deposited into the bank accounts opened against the BO accounts. The accounts would be frozen as well since a court has ordered 33 bank accounts of Benzir and his family members to be frozen.
CDBL's Managing Director Md. Abdul Mutaleb said Tuesday the regulatory directive was aligned with an order issued on May 23 by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court.
The court ordered freezing the securities purchased in the accounts of the former police chief and his family members.
"We have already frozen the accounts," Mr Mutaleb said.
One account of Mr Ahmed was opened with the IFIC Securities and another with Dragon Securities.
Of the two accounts of his wife, Zeeshan Mirza, one was opened with EBL Securities and another with Southeast Bank Capital Services.
Benzir's daughter, Tahseen Raisa Binte Benzir, too, has an account with EBL Securities and another with Dynasty Securities.
Asked about the assets in the two accounts with EBL Securities, its Managing Director Md. Sayadur Rahman said he was not aware.
Referring to his officials, Mr. Rahman said presently there was no asset in the accounts. The accountholders, he said, had deposited Tk 5 million and later withdrew Tk 2 million after incurring a loss of Tk 3 million.
Following a court order, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recently dug up huge assets owned by Mr Ahmed, his wife, children and some relatives.
An ACC investigation found that their assets include 114 acres or 345 bighas of land.
In the court order, senior special metropolitan judge Ash-Shams Jaglul Hossain asked the law-enforcement agencies to confiscate all movable and immovable assets held by the former police chief, his wife and children.
Mr Ahmed served the police department as IGP (inspector general of police) between April 15, 2020 and September 30, 2022. He also served the government as commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police and as director-general of the Rapid Action Battalion.
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