Bangladesh’s business tycoon Moosa bin Shamsher faces grilling by ACC officials at the anti-graft commission’s office on Thursday. ACC is investigating allegations of money laundering against him. Photo: tanvir ahammed/ bdnews24.com Bangladesh’s business tycoon Moosa bin Shamsher faces grilling by ACC officials at the anti-graft commission’s office on Thursday. ACC is investigating allegations of money laundering against him. Photo: tanvir ahammed/ bdnews24.com
Made money abroad: Moosa bin Shamser
ACC grilling Moosa bin Shamsher
Faridrpur's freedom fighters say he collaborated with the Pakistan Army during the Liberation War.
A number of books and local media have shed lights on the controversial role in 1971 of the man who is sometimes referred to as 'prince of Bangladesh'.
His son Bobby Hajjaj, special advisor to Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, claims the 'propaganda' is to 'dishonour' his father.
Shamser on Thursday defended money laundering charges telling the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) that he had earned them abroad.
"No one can make so much money in this country," he said.
The businessman’s son is married to the daughter of Awami League presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.
Shamser's real name is Abu Daud Mohammad Musa and he hails from Kazikanda village under Faridpur's Nagarkanda Upazila.
His father, a jute department field worker, brought him up in Faridpur.
He passed matriculation examination with second division from Ishan school in 1968 and enrolled at Rajendra College but never finished studies, locals say.
Bangladesh business tycoon Moosa bin Shamsher talks to reporters at ACC headquarters in Dhaka on Thursday. Photo: tanvir ahammed/ bdnews24.com
Shamser started manpower export business during Ziaur Rahman's tenure with Shahbaz International, later renamed DATCO Group.
He is well known in the international media for allegedly making money mostly from trading in tanks, fighter planes and missiles.
Faridpur freedom fighters say Shamser was close to Pakistan Army Major Akram Qureshi.
He allegedly supplied Bengali women to Pakistani soldiers.
In his book 'Muktijuddhe Faridpur', Abu Sayed Khan speaks of Shamser's close connection with the occupation army.
Faridpur freedom fighter council's Commander Abu Foyez Shah Newaz told bdnews24.com that Shamser had worked for the Pakistanis during the war.
"He would frequent the Pakistan army's torture cell inside the Faridpur stadium.
"It was well known in Faridpur at that time that Moosa used to supply Pakistan army various things including women," he said.
Freedom fighter AKM Abu Yusuf Siddique Pakhi said he had seen Shamser and several others standing near the old petrol pump with a large Pakistani flag to welcome the occupation army on Apr 21, 1971.
He said he was going to the bus stand area with a rifle.
"I trained my rifle on them yelling, 'bloody collaborators, I'll kill you all'. They ran off.
"Considering the situation, I left the place quickly without firing," he said.
Later, when he was caught, Pakhi said he had seen Shamser with Pakistan army at the circuit house.
"I saw Moosa bin Shamser speaking with Maj Qureshi at the veranda. I realised who was behind my arrest," he said.
Awami League's Faridpur unit acting general secretary Syed Masud Hossain said, "Everyone knew that Moosa used to rub shoulders with Pakistani military officers. They often took him along."
Faridpur's Lalon Parishad's General Secretary Salamat Hossain Khan said he had seen Shamser riding with the Pakistani troops.
"Moosa used to make announcement for the occupation army," he told bdnews24.com.
"He used to supply women for Pakistani army at their late night programmes at a storehouse at the Swarnakuthir in Goalchamat," Khan added.
Senior journalist Prabir Shikder had detailed Shamser's controversial role in the Liberation War in an article entitled 'Shei Razakar' in Daily Janakantha.
He lost his leg several days later in an attack.
Shikder's plea to include Shamser in a case over the attack was rejected.
Shamser could not be reached for comments but his son Bobby Hajjaj told bdnews24.com: "These are lies.
"It's become a trend in Bangladesh to run smear campaigns against respectable people.
"No such incident (collaborating with Pakistan army) took place."
But he suggested looking into the allegations to be sure.
"You may investigate them if you want," he said.
