Home
+
Published : 13 Jul 2025, 07:37 PM
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against a former member of parliament, ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury, on charges of acquiring wealth beyond known sources of income and suspicious financial transactions.
The case was filed on Sunday by ACC Assistant Director Nizam Uddin.
According to ACC Deputy Director Subel Ahmed, the case has been filed under Section 27(1) of the ACC Act, 2004 and Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, Subel said that investigations revealed the former MP held assets beyond means, along with “suspicious and unusual” transactions in his bank accounts.
The ACC’s investigation into alleged corruption and irregularities revealed that he amassed assets worth over Tk 240 million.
This includes Tk 119.5 million in immovable property and Tk 121.3 million in movable assets. The ACC said it did not find any information on liabilities or debts registered against these assets.
Despite possessing assets worth more than Tk 240 million, Fazle’s income tax records only account for Tk 181.3 million in legitimate income. The case accuses him of acquiring and possessing Tk 59.5 million in illicit wealth.
The ACC also mentions suspicious and abnormal financial activity amounting to Tk 1.08 billion across 12 separate bank accounts in his name.
The case alleges that Fazle deposited Tk 543.9 million and withdrew Tk 542.6 million through these bank accounts, which were earned through corruption and bribes.
Fazle used to be associated with the National Democratic Party (NDP), and later joined the Awami League in 1996. Although the party came to power that year, he failed to win in the general election.
He was first elected as MP from Chattogram’s Raozan in 2001, and went on to serve five consecutive terms in parliament until 2024.
Following the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, he went into hiding.
On Sept 12, the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) reported that Fazle was detained near the Akhaura border in Brahmanbaria while “attempting to illegally cross into India”.
He was handed over to Akhaura police and later transferred to the Brahmanbaria District Jail. On Sept 19, he was taken to Chattogram by air and has since remained in jail.
Fazle is currently facing 10 separate cases across various police stations in Chattogram. The charges include murder, abduction, extortion, attempted murder, framing with arms, land acquisition under duress, vandalism, and illegal occupation. He has been questioned by police multiple times in connection with these cases.
