ACC sues Cumilla-8 BNP nominee Zakaria, 30 others over Tk647cr loan fraud

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against Cumilla South District BNP President and BNP-nominated parliamentary election candidate for Cumilla-8, Zakaria Taher Sumon, and 30 others over alleged fraud and embezzlement of Tk647.68 crore through National Bank Limited.

The case was lodged on 22 December by ACC Deputy Director Afroza Haq Khan at the commission's Integrated District Office Dhaka-1.

Confirming the matter, Afroza Haq Khan told The Business Standard today (28 December) that officials of National Bank's Dilkusha branch and head office, along with members of the board, allegedly abused their power and committed criminal breach of trust by preparing and using forged records to approve the loans and launder the funds through layering.

According to the case statement, forged and fabricated documents were used to obtain and siphon off the loans in the name of Manha Precast Technology Limited, causing substantial losses to the banking sector and the state.

The ACC alleged that the company's Director Md Monsur Ali and CEO Syed Mahtab Uddin Mahmud directly facilitated the fraudulent loan process with the active involvement of senior officials and board members of the bank.

Other accused include former National Bank directors Monowara Sikder, Parveen Haq Sikder, Khalilur Rahman, Moazzem Hossain, Ron Haque Sikder, Md Anwar Hossain, Mabrur Hossain and Md Badiul Alam.

The case also lists former and senior bank officials Shamim Ara Haq, Amirul Islam, Chandan Kumar Das, Munshi Sarwar Jan, Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, Dilip Kumar Das, Jahanara Akhtar, Md Enayetullah, Mostafizur Rahman Bhuiyan, Md Ekramul Haq, Hasina Sultana, Md Saidur Rahman, ATM Emadul Haq, Syed Rais Uddin, ASM Bulbul, MA Wadud, Md Habibur Rahman, Mohammad Abu Rashed Noab and Chowdhury Mostak Ahmed.

Also among the accused is Maksuda Haq, wife of former lawmaker Aslamul Haq, along with Zakaria Taher Sumon.

According to the ACC, around Tk403.12 crore was disbursed as loans, while the total outstanding liability has risen to Tk647.68 crore. The funds were allegedly deposited into the accounts of the shell company and later diverted through pay orders, loan adjustments and cash withdrawals to conceal the real beneficiaries and launder the money.

The ACC said the case was filed following a preliminary inquiry and that a full investigation is now underway to identify any further involvement of individuals or institutions.

When contacted, Zakaria Taher Sumon claimed that the Sikder family had pushed through the loans using their influence. "In many cases, the issues were not even placed before the board. Other directors, including myself, had no real say," he said.

He added that after 5 August last year, they informed both the ACC and Bangladesh Bank about the "illegally" approved loans. "I was not a beneficiary, but I have been named in the ACC case simply because I was a board director," he said.

Sumon said he believes the investigation will eventually identify those truly responsible and the actual beneficiaries behind the loan fraud.