ACC sues 115, including ex-directors, employees of UCB, over Tk56cr loan fraud
The accused include former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury's brother Anisuzzaman Chowdhury Rony
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed eight separate cases against 115 people, including former directors, senior officials and employees of United Commercial Bank PLC (UCB), over the alleged embezzlement and laundering of more than Tk56 crore through fraudulent loans.
ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations) Md Akhtarul Islam disclosed the information to reporters today (17 December).
According to the ACC, the accused individuals siphoned off the funds by opening current accounts in the names of eight fictitious organisations at different UCB branches and securing loans against those accounts.
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The accused include former bank directors and officials, among them Anisuzzaman Chowdhury Rony – brother of former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury – and former director Bashir Ahmed.
The ACC said current accounts were opened in the names of Asia Enterprise, Moon Enterprise, Islam Enterprise, Sun-Sign Enterprise, Alam Enterprise, Jupiter Enterprise, Nazim & Sons and Al-Razi Enterprise at UCB's Chawkbazar, Port, Pahartali and Bahaddarhat branches.
Individuals were shown as owners of these entities despite having no actual link to the businesses.
Investigators found that loans taken in the names of these fake firms were misappropriated across several branches.
According to ACC, of the total amount, Tk8 crore was allegedly embezzled through Asia Enterprise at the Chawkbazar branch, Tk7 crore through Moon Enterprise, Tk6 crore through Islam Enterprise and Tk8 crore through Sun-Sign Enterprise. At the Port branch, Tk4.40 crore was siphoned off through Alam Enterprise, while at the Pahartali branch Tk9 crore and Tk9.30 crore were embezzled through Jupiter Enterprise and Nazim & Sons respectively. Another Tk3 crore was misappropriated through Al-Razi Enterprise at the Bahaddarhat branch.
In total, Tk56,15 crore was allegedly embezzled through these fake entities, the ACC said.
Other notable accused include former UCB vice-chairman Bazl Ahmed Babul, former directors MA Sabur, Haji Yunus Ahmed, Nurul Islam Chowdhury, Asifuzzaman Chowdhury and Roksana Zaman Chowdhury.
Contacted for comment, a UCB spokesperson said the ACC cases were filed based on information provided by the bank itself.
"Those who misappropriated customers' deposits from UCB through irregularities and manipulation will not be spared under any circumstances," the spokesperson said, adding that legal and institutional action against such irregularities has already begun and will continue.
The spokesperson further said the bank is seeking redress for past irregularities and remains committed to ensuring exemplary punishment for those responsible, noting that the current board and management are firm in establishing transparency, accountability and good governance.
