A Dhaka court on Monday issued a travel ban on 18 former ministers and eight MPs of the ousted Awami League-led government as they are trying to flee the country.
Judge of the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka, Mohammed Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain, passed the order after hearing two separate petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Those facing travel ban are former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, commerce minister Tipu Munshi, disaster management minister Dr Md Enamur Rahman, law minister Anisul Huq, LGRD minister Md Tazul Islam, religious affairs minister Md Faridul Haque Khan, textiles and jute minister Golam Dastagir Gazi, state minister of Youth and Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel, state minister for disaster management Md Mohibbur Rahman, water resources minister Anwar Hossain Monju and information minister Hasanul Haque Inu.
The list also included state minister for power Nasrul Hamid Bipu, state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, state minister for primary education Md Zakir Hossain, expatriates welfare minister Imran Ahmad, state minister for power Enamul Haque and LGRD state minister Swapan Bhattacharjee.
The eight lawmakers are Bagherhat-1 MP Sheikh Helal Uddin, Dhaka-20 MP Benjir Ahmed, Jashore-3 MP Kazi Nabil Ahmed, Natore-1 MP Shahedul Islam Bakul, Kushtia-1 MP AKM Sorwar Jahan, Jashore-1 MP Sheikh Afil Uddin, Gazipur-5 MP Meher Afroze and Joypurhat-2 MP Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon.
ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir confirmed the order to the FE.
Earlier on the day, ACC Deputy Directors Md Jahangir Alam and Md Mostafizur Rahman submitted two petitions in the court seeking travel ban on the persons.
ACC Public Prosecutors Mahmud Hossain Jahangir and Mir Ahmed Ali Salam moved the petition on behalf of the ACC.
In the applications, the ACC deputy directors said the former ministers and lawmakers, who have graft allegations against their names, were trying to flee the country. So, a travel ban is needed to prevent them from leaving the country.
The ACC informed the court that investigations are underway into the allegations that they all amassed 'inconceivable' amounts of money and properties through illegal means during their tenure.
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