ACC to question BNP's Abdul Awal Mintoo over illegal asset charges

The Anti-Corruption Commission or ACC has summoned BNP leader Abdul Awal Mintoo to question him over a raft of allegations, including amassing wealth illegally and dodging billions of takas in taxes.

The national anti-graft agency on Wednesday sent a letter to Mintoo asking him to appear at its headquarters in the capital’s Segun Bagicha on Nov 5.

The commission's spokesman Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya said the summons was addressed to Multimode Group located in the Anchor Tower at the capital’s Bir Uttam CR Dutta road.

ACC’s Deputy Director Shamsul Alam will question Mintoo.

Mintoo is accused of taking loans with fake documents, dodging billions of takas in taxes, making suspicious transactions in collusion with bankers, amassing wealth from undisclosed sources and smuggling money out of the country.

Mintoo, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), was known to be close to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the 1990s. Later, he joined the BNP and now serves as a vice-chairman of the party.   

He was also arrested over allegation of corruption along with many other politicians and businessmen during the military-controlled caretaker government.