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Cleansing drives to intensify after Awami League councils


Published : 05 Nov 2019 09:07 PM | Updated : 28 Aug 2020 10:56 AM

The ongoing cleansing drive is to be strengthened more after the upcoming councils of ruling Awami League (AL) and its associate bodies, said sources in the government. According to sources, there is no possibility of conducting any massive drive since the Awami League as well as the government is busy with holding of the councils. However, as usual drives would continue.

Besides, massive drives would not be conducted and organisational punitive measures would not be taken against the corrupt and intruders before the councils just to avoid untoward incidents during the councils. Sources in the AL and law-enforcement agencies said, a list of names of around 1,500 people, who have links with corruption and crime, has been sent to all the districts. Most of those 1,500 people are said to be intruders and have amassed money and wealth allegedly through illegal ways. Some of them are accused of anti-party activities.

According to sources, councils of different front organisations of AL would be completed by this month while the council of the AL might be held in December. Councils for the party’s root-level organisations will also be held during the periods. The sources said, extra emphasis has been laid so that corrupt and intruders could not get positions in the AL as well as its different front organisations through the councils. Those 1,500 people, who are enlisted as intruders and corrupt might not get any position in the next councils. Earlier at a press conference, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured journalists that the ongoing drives against graft, extortion and other crimes were not just an eye-wash.

She said the drive has been launched first against the party men and punitive measures would be taken against those who would be found guilty. As per the government decision and policy, apart from the law enforcement agencies, anti-graft body Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), National Board of Revenue (NBR), Bangladesh Bank and Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) are working jointly as well as separately against the corrupt and criminals.

As part of the anti-corruption drives, the ACC is working with a list of around 800 people linked with casino crimes, extortion, tender manipulation, bribery and other corruption. Those people include ministers, lawmakers, politicians, businessmen, contractors, and present and former officials of the government.

Besides, the ACC has sought information from the Bangladesh Bank for the details of bank accounts of about 600 people while the BFIU authorities already have frozen bank accounts of around 400 of them on the recommendations of the ACC, the NBR and the court. Moreover, bans on travel abroad have also been imposed on around 200 of those people.

An ACC official concerned said, the anti-corruption drives and other activities are being monitored as well as supervised by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) directly. According to sources, around 200 people have already been arrested, including Ismail Hossain Somrat, Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, GK Shamim, Lokman Hossain, Selim Prodhan and many other leaders from AL and its different front organisations.

Bank accounts have been frozen and travel bans were imposed on several ruling party lawmakers including Nur-un-Nobi Chowdhury Shaon, Shamsul Huq Chowdhury, immediate past Jubo League chairman Omar Faruq Chowdhury, Swechchhsebok League President Molla Md Abu Kawsar, General Secretary Pankaj Devnath, Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, Dhaka City Ward Coincilors Mominul Huq Sayeed, Habibur Rahman Mizan, Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, Mohamedan Sporting Club Director Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, Kalabagan Crira Chakra president Shafiqul Islam Firoz, Jubo League leaders Kazi Anisur Rahman, Mizanur Rahman Bakul, Awami League leader Enamul Huq Enu, his brother Rupam Bhuiyan, contractor GK Shamim, former PWD chief enginner Rafiqul Islam and present additional chief engineer Abdul Hye, mafia don Aziz Mohammad Bhai, their family members and business organisations.

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