The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) has found proof of graft amounting to about Tk 500 million through issuing licences to 403 hajj agencies by some officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA), sources said.
Former assistant personal secretary of ex-state minister for religious affairs M Shahjahan Miah, Soumendra Lal Chandra Shoilen was the key person in the alleged graft along with some other officials.
An ACC official told the FE that the money was taken as bribe from the owners of hajj agencies during 2010-2012.
"As far as our investigation revealed, we have found the authenticity of the allegation," he said.
The Commission officials said Shoilen accumulated illegal wealth worth Tk 500 million by giving licenses to over 400 hajj and umrah hajj agents in exchange of bribe. They, however, did not disclose the names of other accused officials.
Sources said the ACC has started investigation into the alleged corruption after receiving allegations last year. On February 5 this year, the ACC appointed its deputy director Ahsan Ali as the inquiry officer to investigate the allegations.
According to the allegation received by the ACC, the MoRA has approved a total of 403 licenses to new companies, against payment of bribes, and Shoilen worked as the key player in the irregularities.
There were only 324 hajj agencies in the country when the Awami League led grand alliance took power in 2008.
In 2010, the MoRA gave licenses to 155 agencies. Then, in 2011, the ministry again published circulars inviting applications for hajj and umrah licenses.
In response to the circular, a total of 1,006 applications were submitted for license as hajj agent and 137 as umrah Hajj agent license, said sources. Among those, 403 licenses were given, and MoRA officials took Tk 500 million as bribe, ACC officials alleged. Investigation found that the leader of Patuakhali Awami League, Shoilen, made a large amount of money from the deals.
ACC officials further said they also found the allegation that Mr Shoilen siphoned off money abroad to conceal his actual wealth, built a 5-storied building in Patuakhali, and bought a personal car to be true.
About the laundering of money, the Commission officials said as most of the family members of Mr Shoilen are living in India, the allegation could be authentic.
Mr Shoilen, however, denied his involvement in any corruption and said he built his house by taking loan from bank, said the ACC officials.
