ACC sues Sikder brothers, others over Tk1,414 crore embezzlement
ACC Director General Akhter Hossain confirmed about the cases today (6 February)
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed four cases against several individuals, including Sikder Group Managing Director Ron Haque Sikder and his brother Rick Haque Sikder, over the embezzlement of Tk1,414 crore from National Bank.
The funds were allegedly misappropriated through fraudulent loans issued to four companies - Broadway Real Estate Limited, Maryam Construction Limited, Prakriti Associates, and The View Hotel and Resort Limited.
ACC Director General Akhter Hossain confirmed about the cases today (6 February).
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In the case against Broadway Real Estate Limited, 15 individuals including Arif Hasan, managing director of Desh Television Limited and shairman of Hasan Telecom Limited, have been made accused.
The allegations state that the Sikder family and Hasan colluded to create Broadway Real Estate Limited as a shell company, using employees of the television station's names.
A Tk490 crore loan was secured from the Mohakhali branch of National Bank for a supposed 16-story commercial building, with misrepresented land ownership, said the ACC official.
The accused are alleged to have disregarded banking policies and abused their power to sanction and withdraw the loan.
The case claims that Tk668.89 crore, including Tk178crore in unpaid interest, was embezzled as of 30 November 2024.
In another case, 13 individuals face charges for a Tk300 crore loan obtained fraudulently from the Gulshan branch of National Bank by Maryam Construction Limited.
The embezzled amount, including principal and interest, is alleged to be Tk583.13 crore.
The accused include Construction Limited's Managing Director Alam Ahmed, Director Babu Haridas Barman, and former National Bank directors Ron Haque Sikder and Rick Haque Sikder.
In the third case, Prakriti Associates and 14 individuals are accused of embezzling Tk80 crore from the National Bank Mohakhali branch using forged documents.
The total embezzled amount, including Tk21 crore in interest, is now alleged to be Tk101 crore as of 17 November last year.
The accused include Prakriti Associate's proprietor Md Sharif-Uzzaman Khan, National Bank Executive Vice President Md Zahirul Islam, and former vice president Abu Rashed Noab.
Another case accused 11 individuals of embezzling Tk61 crore from the Kuakata branch of National Bank through fraudulent loans to The View Hotel and Resort Limited.
The accused include The View Hotel and Resort's Managing Director Nahid Sarwar, Director Mostafa Moin Sarwar, National Bank MD Chowdhury Mostaq Ahmed, dismissed Kuakata branch manager Rumi Imroz Rashid, and former directors Monowara Sikder and Rick Haque Sikder.
