Amassing Wealth Illegally: ACC summons wife of lawmaker Shahid

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday summoned Kuwait-detained Bangladeshi lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam's wife and sister-in-law for quizzing over amassing wealth illegally.

In a letter signed by ACC's deputy director Md Salauddin, Shahid's wife lawmaker Selina Islam and sister-in-law Jesmin Akter were asked to appear before the commission on July 22, confirmed ACC Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya.There is allegation against Shahid, also director of NRB Commercial Bank, Selina and Jesmin of amassing wealth beyond the known source of income and laundering money abroad, the letter reads.

"For sake of fair investigation, it is necessary to record your statement," it said. On June 17, ACC imposed travel embargo on Shahid's wife, daughter and sister-in-law.

ACC asked the immigration department to prevent them from leaving the country. Earlier, the commission asked Selina and Jesmin to submit copies of their passports, national identity cards, TINs and income tax returns.

MP Shahid is currently being detained in Kuwait's central prison and is undergoing questioning by the public prosecution. He was arrested on June 8 on allegations of human trafficking, money laundering and bribery.

6 CMSD OFFICIALS SUMMONED

Meanwhile, ACC yesterday summoned six officials of Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD) for quizzing over procurement of low standard N-95 masks and PPE.

In a letters signed by ACC Director Mir Md Zaynul Abedin Shebly, ACC summoned CMSD deputy director Dr Zakir Hossain, chief coordinator Dr Ziaul Haque, assistant director Dr Md Shahjahan, store in-charge Dr Sabbir Ahmed, store officer Kabir Ahmmed and senior store keeper Yusuf Fakir.

Of them, Shahjahan, Sabbir and Kabir are asked to appear on July 19 and the rest on July 20.

Earlier ACC summoned Dhaka Central International Medical College and Hospital Chairman Motazzerul Islam Mithu, Meditech Imaging Director Humayun Kabir, JMI Hospital Requisite Manufacturing Ltd Chairman Abdur Razzak and coordinator (medical team) of Toma Construction Ltd Motiur Rahman and chairman of Elan Corporation Aminul Islam Amin for quzzing in this connection.

Mithu and Aminul did not appear before the commission showing ailments.

The controversy over the mask supply came to the fore in early April when health professionals in various hospitals were questioning the quality of respirators, with many resorting to social media to vent their frustration.

With the complaints over poor quality ventilators surfacing, CMSD, the government body that sources medical supplies, withdrew the masks received from JMI.

Meanwhile,ACC has asked acting director  of Mugda Medical College Hospital Dr Rowson Anwar and management authorities of Hotel 71 to submit documents on expense of living of doctors, nurses and staff at the hotel.

ACC deputy assistant director Mohammad Shahjahan Miraj in seperate letters on Thursday sought the information from them.

According to the letter, there is allegations against the hospital authorities of misappropriating money allocated for the living of doctors at the hotel.

"We've asked them to provide documents of agreement, hotel rents and other charges," Miraj told The Daily Star.