A Dhaka court on Thursday issued travel ban on nine persons, including former army chief General (retd) Aziz Ahmed and three former Awami League (AL) lawmakers, in connection with corruption charges against them.
General Aziz's wife Dilshad Nahar Kakoli, former railways minister and AL MP from Rajbari-2 Md Zillul Hakim, his wife Syeda Hakim and their son Ashik Mahmud Mitul, former AL MP from Feni-2 Md Nizam Uddin Hazari and his wife Nurjahan Begum, and former AL MP from Bogura-5 Md Habibur Rahman and his son Mohammad Asif Iqbal are among the others facing the ban.
Mohammed Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain, Judge of the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka, passed the orders after hearing four petitions, filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Earlier, ACC Deputy Director Mohammad Zakaria, Deputy Director Md Nurul Huda, Assistant Director Mohammad Zinnatul Islam and Deputy Assistant Director K M Asaduzzaman, who are leading the enquiry teams concerned, submitted three separate applications in this regard. ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir moved the applications on behalf of the anti-graft body.
In the applications, Mohammad Zakaria said an inquiry is underway into the graft allegations against Gen Aziz and Kakoli. Zinnatul Islam said Zillul, his wife and their son amassed a huge amount of money through illegal means and abuse of power. Mohammad Nurul Huda said Nizam Hazari and his wife accumulated a large sum of money through illicit means and abuse of power.
"The applications also mentioned that there are credible reports that the accused persons might attempt to flee the country. So, travel ban is needed to prevent them from going abroad," said the ACC official.
In a separate application, K M Asaduzzaman said Habibur and his son acquired a significant amount of wealth through illegal means, involvement in terrorist activities, tender manipulation, abuse of power, and corruption.
Moreover, they are currently under investigation for allegations of abuse of power, various irregularities, and corruption involving acquisition of hundreds of millions of Tk in their names and the names of their family members.
The judge also ordered the ACC to send the order sheets to the special superintendent of police (immigration), Special Branch (SB) for the next course of action.
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