ACC sues Hasina, 16 others over toll scam

Bangla Press Desk:  The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against 17 people, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, for allegedly causing the government a financial loss of over Tk309 crore through irregularities in the Meghna-Gomti Bridge toll collection agreement.

ACC Assistant Director (Public Relations) Tanzir Ahmed confirmed the matter on Sunday.

Other accused in the case are former ministers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Obaidul Quader, and Anisul Huq, former state minister MA Mannan, former secretary MAN Siddique, former additional secretary Md Faruk Jalil, former deputy secretary Md Shafiqul Karim, former chief engineers Md Firoz Iqbal and Ibne Alam Hasan, former additional chief engineers Md Aftab Hossain Khan and Md Abdus Salam, and Computer Network System (CNS) Ltd Managing Director Munir Uz Zaman Chowdhury, directors Selina Chowdhury and Ikram Iqbal.

The ACC said the individuals conspired with each other to abuse government power and embezzle state funds through fraud, which is a punishable offence under the Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

According to the commission, in 2016, a “single source tender” was called for the appointment of CNS Ltd as the toll collector of the Meghna-Gomti Bridge, deliberately cancelling the previous tender.

Later, a five-year contract was signed with CNS only, without consulting other organisations. Under the new agreement, CNS Ltd was allowed to collect a 17.75% service charge from the total tolls collected (excluding VAT and income tax).

The ACC said that, through such actions, the individuals are accused of misappropriating government funds in a manner punishable under Sections 409, 420, and 109 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

BP/SP