Charge-sheet against Bismillah Group MD, 13 others approved

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved a charge-sheet in a case against 14 people, including managing director (MD) of Bismillah Towel Limited Khwaja Solaiman Anwar Chowdhury, for their alleged involvement in Tk 580 million loan scam.

The commission at its regular meeting on Thursday approved the charge-sheet, the ACC official concerned told the FE.

The 13 other accused are: Bismillah Group chairman and Solaiman's wife Nowrin Hasib, director Safiqul Anwar Chowdhury, deputy managing director of the group Akbar Aziz Muttadi, general manger Abul Hasan Chowdhury, manager Riazuddin Ahmad, chairman of Network Framework System Limited (an authorised entity of Bismillah Group) M Akter Hossain and owner of Bay Yarn Limited Ghulam Moinuddin Ahmed, and six bank officials - ex-manager of Premier Bank (Motijheel branch) Shahinur Rahman, ex-deputy manager Shahadat Hossain, first assistant vice presidents MA Rahim and  Tajibul Alam, vice president Shahabuddin Sarker and ex-executive officer Abu Saleh Arifur Rahman.

On November 3, 2013, the ACC filed 12 cases against 53 people, including 13 officials of the Bismillah Group, a terry towel producer, for alleged swindling of about Tk 11.75 billion from five commercial banks. The remaining 40 accused are the officials of Janata Bank, Prime Bank, Jamuna Bank, Shahjalal Islami Bank and Premier Bank.

According to the first information reports (FIRs), Bismillah Group with the help of bank officials took loan of Tk 5.26 billion from three branches of Janata Bank, Tk 3.26 billion from Motijheel branch of Prime Bank, Tk 1.54 billion from Motijheel branch of Jamuna Bank, Tk 1.04 billion from Eskaton branch of Shahjalal Islami Bank and Tk 625 million from Motijheel branch of Premier Bank.

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