Dr Atiur, Dr Barkat among 23 sued by ACC

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against 23 people, including former Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman and economist Dr Abul Barkat, for allegedly embezzling TK 2.97 billion under the guise of the Enontex Group, report agencies.

Deputy Director Nazmul Hossain at the ACC's Dhaka Integrated District Office filed the case on Thursday, said ACC Director General Md Akhter Hossain.

Among the accused are former deputy governor-2 Abu Hena Mohammad Razi Hasan, former assistant director Ismat Ara Begum, former Janata Bank directors Dr Jamal Uddin Ahmed, Md Imdadul Haque, Nagibul Islam Dipu, Dr R M Debnath, Md Abu Naser, Sangeeta Ahmed, and former director Prof Dr Nitai Chandra Nath.

Also named in the case included Janata Bank MD and CEO Abdus Salam Azad, former DGM Azmul Haque, former AGM Ajay Kumar Ghosh, former manager (Industrial Loan-1) of Janata Bhaban Corporate Branch Md Golam Azam, and executive engineer (SME Department) Md Shahjahan.

Additionally, Chairman of AnonTex Group Md Yunus Badal, Managing Director of Messrs Suprabh Spinning Limited Md Anwar Hossain, and Director Md Abu Talha have also been implicated.

The charges involve creating false records through forgery and money laundering to embezzle loan funds in collaboration with officials from the bank.

The case was filed under several sections of the Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The case had actually been filed earlier and closed in 2022 for lack of evidence, but new developments have led to its reopening.