HC orders to probe into scams of three banks
Loan disbursement
05 December 2022
Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Sunday directed the authorities concerned to probe into the alleged irregularities in loan disbursement of three banks namely Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd, Social Islami Bank Ltd and First Security Islami Bank in four months.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the Criminal Investigation Department of Police (CID of Police) and concerned banks have been asked to submit probe reports to the court by April 5.
The respondents have also been asked to inform the HC what action has been taken against those involved if the allegations are found to be true in the investigation. The court has set the next date of hearing on April 5 in 2023.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order on a Suo Motu (voluntary) move after considering three reports published in three daily newspapers recently about alleged loan scams in the three banks.
The court also issued a rule asking the concerned bodies to explain as to why the inaction of the respondents in taking action against the persons who were involved with the irregularities in disbursement of the loans should not be declared illegal.
In the rule it also wanted to know from the respondents to explain as to why they should not be directed to take action against the persons who were involved with the irregularities in disbursement of the loans.
Finance Secretary, Bangladesh Bank, BFIU, CID of Police and other respondents have been asked to comply with the rule.
The HC bench also ordered the authorities of the three banks to submit to the court lists of names and addresses of the officials who dealt with the loans. It asked S Alam Group to come up with explanations on the reports that it took Tk 300 billion from Islami Bank.
Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan on behalf of the ACC and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik
represented the state during the hearing on the issue on Sunday.
Later DAG Amin Uddin Manik said, "New Age published a news under the banner of 'S Alam Group lifts Tk 30,000cr loans from IBBL alone' on November 30. The court asked the chairman of the S Alam Group to submit documents regarding the loan in the court. It also ordered the authorities of the three banks to submit to the court lists of names and addresses of the officials who dealt with the loans."
Prothom Alo, The Daily Star and New Age recently published three separate reports over the scams.
