ACC raids ex-NTMC chief Ziaul Ahsan’s residence

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today (20 July) raided the eight-storey residence of former National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) director general and dismissed Major General Ziaul Ahsan at Jalsiri in the capital.

An ACC team led by Deputy Director Md Hafizul Islam conducted the operation in line with a court order, said ACC Deputy Director Md Akhtarul Islam.

During the raid, the team inspected every room of the residence marked "7A". The house was found to have high-end marble flooring, a carved wooden entrance door, expensive furniture, built-in wardrobes, modern lighting fixtures and air-conditioning systems. Decorative items, including a model ship displayed in a glass case and military-style boots, were also seen inside the residence.

The ACC did not disclose details of the assets identified during the operation or provide an estimate of their value. It also did not specify when a complete inventory of the property's contents would be prepared.

On 27 January, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz appointed the concerned deputy commissioners and the Public Works Department (PWD) as receivers to oversee and maintain the attached immovable properties belonging to Ziaul Ahsan and individuals linked to his interests.

According to the ACC, Ziaul obtained Antigua and Barbuda citizenship in 2017 and paid $200,000 to two Malaysian entities as part of the citizenship process. The commission also alleged that he illegally invested around $1.35 million in five-year bonds issued by Antigua and Barbuda.