Dhaka, Oct 14 (bdnews24.com)—Rapid Action Battalion on Sunday night arrested former Manager of Sonali Bank's Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Branch, AKM Azizur Rahman, over the loan scam involving Hallmark Group.
RAB-3 Commanding Officer MN Anisur Rahman confirmed bdnews24.com that Rahman was arrested in Rampura in the capital.
Rahman is the first bank official to have been arrested since Bangladesh's biggest-ever loan scandal surfaced in May this year.
Hallmark's Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud along with the firm's General Manager Tusher Ahmed were arrested recently.
A Bangladesh Bank audit revealed a little over Tk 36 billion was taken as loan by five firms, including Hallmark, from different branches of Sonali Bank, including Ruposhi Bangla, violating rules.
Hallmark Group drew over Tk 26 billion alone.
On Oct 4, Anti-Corruption Commission filed 11 cases against 27 people, including Azizur Rahman, over the scam.
Rahman is one of those 18 who were named in all the 11 cases for their involvement in misappropriating money from the branch.
Besides Rahman, four other Sonali Bank officials named in the cases were AGM Md Saiful Hasan (suspended), Executive Officer Md Abdul Matin (suspended), Senior Executive Officer Meherunnesa Merry, and former Senior Officer Md Waheduzzaman.
Sonali Bank has suspended 20 officials including two General Managers over the loan scam.
The swindling took place between 2010 and 2012, and other firms involved include Nakshi Knit Composite, Khan Jahan Ali Sweaters and DN Sports.
After the scandal surfaced, ACC investigated it and found traces of irregularities throughout the process of sanctioning 'loan' by the Sonali Bank. ACC also questioned Prime Minister's Health and Family Affairs Advisor Syed Modasser Ali alongside 78 others during its probe.
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