ACC summons 2 ex-ministers for interrogation

The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned two former ministers for interrogation on sudden rise in their wealth in last five years.

The summon notices were sent on Wednesday to former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque and former state minister for water resources Mahbubur Rahman, the anti-graft body officials said.

According to the notices, the former health minister was asked to be present before the ACC headquarters on February 24, and former state minister for water resources on February 23.

Earlier, the ACC started investigation into the alleged illegal wealth of the seven ministers and members of parliament (MPs). They were former health minister AFM Ruhal Haque, MP, former state minister for housing and public works Abdul Mannan Khan, former state minister for water resources Mahbubur Rahman (MP), lawmaker of Cox's Bazar-4 Abdur Rahman Bodi, MP of Rajshahi-4 Engineer Enamul Haq, Aslamul Haque of Dhaka-14 and Abdul Zabbar of Satkhira.

On January 22, the ACC began probe against the suspects and said gradually it would investigate into the wealth of other ruling coalition ministers and MPs.

Media reports on huge discrepancies between wealth statements of the ministers and MPs that they submitted to the Election Commission (EC) ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections and the statements they had provided prior to the 9th national polls in 2008 created furore among the people.

According to the affidavit he submitted to the EC, Dr Ruhal Haque had Tk 8.8 million in his bank account in 2008, but the amount jumped to Tk 26.3 million in 2013. His wife Ila Haque's bank balance showed Tk 75.3 million, up from Tk 0.46 million five years back.

Affidavit of Former state minister for water resources Md Mahbubur Rahman Talukder shows that he had only 20 acres of agricultural land in 2008 which has increased to 2,865 acres, a surprising rise by 143 times in only five years. His annual income was Tk 0.21 million in 2008. Now, he earns Tk 15 million annually.