ACC to prosecute former justice, former secretary over ‘abusing power’ in housing project

The graft watchdog also decides to launch a probe against 12 former secretaries who allegedly helped rig the 2018 election

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to file a case against eight people, including a former judge, a former senior secretary, and top officials of the National Housing Authority (NHA), over allegations of abusing power to allocate luxury duplex flats in the “Grihayan Dhanmondi” project.

On Monday, ACC Deputy Director Md Akhtarul Islam informed journalists about the anti-graft agency’s decision to prosecute the individuals.

The ACC investigation found that the project officials “abused power” to approve two oversized duplex flats instead of standard single flats.

The NHA board, in violation of rules and regulations, decided to combine four flats into two duplexes.

The flats were allocated to former judge and ex-ACC commissioner Zahurul Haque and ex-senior secretary Md Mozammel Haque Khan. The flats measured 381.37 sqm and 400.28 sqm.

The other individuals to face charges over the graft are a former NHA chairman, four ex-members of the NHA and a former registrar general.

The anti-graft agency said the suspects submitted false affidavits while holding government positions.

In collusion with each other, the ACC said, they attempted to manipulate valuable state assets for their benefit through criminal breach of trust and conduct.

Mozammel concealed in his affidavit that he owned flats in Dhaka, the ACC said.

The ACC has also decided to ask 10 individuals to submit their wealth statements. The individuals include a former judge, former senior secretaries, and ex-secretaries.

The graftbuster also informed that it launched an investigation into the allegation that 12 former secretaries received flats as a reward after helping rig the 2018 election.