Islami Bank official suspended for filing complaint against S Alam, ex-president over loan fraud
Yasin Ali is suspended after filing an ACC complaint without approval from the bank’s head office, a senior HR official says.
Islami Bank Bangladesh official Mohammad Yasin Ali has been suspended after he filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against S Alam and former president Mohammed Shahabuddin, alleging that around Tk500 crore was embezzled through loan fraud involving shell companies.
According to a senior official of the bank's Human Resources (HR) department, Yasin Ali, first assistant vice president of the Foreign Exchange Corporate Branch, was suspended today (11 August) and sent to the bank's training academy.
The official said Yasin had filed the complaint with the ACC without approval from the bank's head office, prompting the action against him.
Yasin, however, confirmed that he had filed the complaint following instructions from senior officials. He declined to comment when asked why he had been suspended or what conditions had been imposed during his suspension.
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A senior Islami Bank official said the matter came to the attention of Bangladesh Bank after reports were published in several media outlets on Monday. The bank's chairman also instructed officials to take action against Yasin.
Mohammad Zahir Hossain, acting chairman of Islami Bank and an executive director of Bangladesh Bank, told TBS, "The officer who filed the complaint did so without approval from the head office. For this reason, HR temporarily suspended him. At the same time, a three-member committee has been formed."
He added, "Former president Shahabuddin was a former vice chairman of Islami Bank. He served as a director on behalf of a company. If there are allegations of irregularities against him, a case can certainly be filed. However, it must be supported by information and evidence.
"When the news was published in the media, I informed the managing director about the matter. I had no role in his termination. The bank's HR department took the action."
Mohammad Yasin Ali submitted the complaint to the ACC on 29 June.
The written complaint accused 38 individuals and entities, including S Alam and former president Shahabuddin, of involvement in the alleged embezzlement of around Tk500 crore through loan fraud.
The complaint alleged that the accused, acting in collusion, created fake documents through fraud and forgery to embezzle around Tk500 crore from the bank and launder the money abroad. It also claimed that the alleged fraud had contributed to the bank's financial difficulties.
