Travel bans on ex-MP Bahar, family members

A Dhaka court has issued travel bans on four people, including former member of parliament (MP) for Comilla-6 AKM Bahauddin Bahar, in connection with corruption charges surfaced against them.

The others are his wife Mehrunnesa, their daughter mayor of Comilla City Corporation Tahsin Bahar Suchona and son Aiman Bahar.

Judge Md Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order following an application by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday.

Both the ACC and court sources confirmed the matter. The ACC's Deputy Director Rezaul Karim submitted a petition to the court requesting travel bans on AKM Bahauddin Bahar and his family members.

The petition states that the family members are under inquiry for abuse of power, recruitment malpractice, tender manipulation, and other activities related to corruption.

They are alleged to have misappropriated public funds from various development projects through illegal means and amassed assets that are disproportionate to their known sources of income.

According to reliable sources, AKM Bahar and his family own huge property, including flats in Uttara, Dhaka, plots in Comilla's housing estate, and markets in various locations. It is also alleged that the family members are attempting to transfer their movable and immovable assets, possibly in an attempt to flee the country. There are concerns that if they manage to leave the country, the ongoing inquiry could be severely disrupted.

Given these circumstances, the ACC argued that imposing a travel ban on them is needed to ensure the inquiry proceeds without hindrance.

ACC prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir took part in the hearing on behalf of the ACC.

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