High Court orders ACC to act against four for ‘helping Tarique, Mamun’ launder money

The High Court has ordered the Anti Corruption Commission to act against four persons who deposited money in the account through which Tarique Rahman and Giasuddin-Al-Mamun laundered money.

The four are Hosaf Group Chairman Mohammad Moazzam Hossain, Nirman Construction Chairman Khadiza Islam, Mayar Sairee and Merina Zaman.
 
The court on Thursday issued the order in the verdict sentencing BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique and his associate Mamun for seven years for siphoning off Tk 204.1 million to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.
 
They have also been fined Tk 200 million each. 
 
The High Court ordered the action against Moazzam, Khadiza, Mayar and Merina because they ‘helped’ Tarique and Mamun launder the money.
 

Referring to the investigation report, chargesheet and witnesses’ statements, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told bdnews24.com the four persons deposited the money in the account at the bank in Singapore.

What papers say

According to the ACC case, Mamun took bribes from Chinese firm Harbin Power Engineering, promising the contract of a proposed 80MW power plant in Tongi. 

Nirman Construction, the local agent of the firm, provided a large chunk of the money.

Mamun deposited the money in the Capital Street Branch of Singapore’s Citibank, from where Tarique withdrew Tk 30.78 million.

# Khadiza transferred $750,000 to Mamun’s account in the branch on Aug 1, 2003.

# Moazzam deposited $1.167 million in the account on Jan 16, 2003.

# Mayar deposited $420,000 in the account on June 5, 2003.

# Merina deposited $30,000 in the account on Sep 26, 2003.

# Another $411,000 was deposited in the account in different times.

# Mamun obtained the money in exchange for ‘illegal facilities’ from different individuals and companies, the chargesheet says.

# He spent $79,542 from the account.

# Tarique spent $54,982 using a supplementary credit card.

# The remaining amount, which was over $2.77 million, was brought back during the 2007-8 caretaker government’s regime.

The High Court has observed Tarique had got his hand on the ‘dirty money in the name of consultation fee’ through his cohort Mamun.

It said the former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son had committed the financial crime ‘consciously’ by using his political position as a ‘shield’.