2 of 21 corruption suspects submit wealth statements
Thursday, 7 June 2007
Two of the 21 corruption suspects, who were earlier served with notices by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for submission of their wealth statements, submitted their wealth accounts Wednesday, reports UNB.
Former Awami League MP and Sheikh Hasina's cousin Sheikh Helal Uddin and secretary general of Bangladesh Medical Association and Doctors' Association of Bangladesh Dr AZM Zahid Hossain submitted their wealth statements to the ACC secretary through their representatives.
The anti-graft watchdog issued notices on May 29 to the 21 corruption suspects, including political bigwigs, businessmen and bureaucrats like Tarique Rahman, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Anwar Hossain Monju and Obaidul Kader.
They were asked to submit their wealth statements within seven working days of receiving the notices. If there is logical ground, the time limit could be extended by another seven days.
Among the suspects, a significant amount of wealth is possessed by Sheikh Helal and his family members, which include an under-construction 7-storey building in the capital's Joarsahara area, four marine vessels worth over Tk 15.00 million (1.5 crore), two cars, 65 tolas of gold worth approximately Tk 1.00 million (10 lakh) and some bank accounts having about Tk 2.70 million.
He also has stock materials worth about Tk 20 million. He owes people Tk 24.20 million while people owe him Tk 14.20 million. The cash in hands of Sheikh Helal and his wife amounts to Tk 0.13 million and 10 thousand respectively.
SA Kasem, said to be close to the fugitive politician, submitted the wealth statement to the ACC secretary.
Dr Zahid, in his 526-page statement submitted by his wife Makshoda Begum, showed he and his wife, among other possessions, have five plots of land in Jessore and Dinajpur, five bank accounts, one flat in Banani worth Tk 3.8 million, one car, furniture worth 30,000, gold valued at Tk 70,000, a fixed deposit of Tk 2.00 million, shares of different companies worth Tk 3.00 million.
Most of the wealth mentioned in the statement is in his wife's name.