Jahangir claims innocence, says ACC being used to 'harass' him
Jahangir Alam, former mayor of Gazipur City, has claimed that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is being used to harass him without any valid reason.
Speaking at the ACC headquarters in Dhaka on Sunday, Jahangir Alam expressed his innocence and raised concerns about the alleged unjust treatment he has been subjected to.
Jahangir Alam, who was elected with a significant majority in 2018's Gazipur City polls, asserted that he was unlawfully dismissed from his position just three years into his five-year term.
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He questioned the due process and raised doubts about the fairness shown towards him as a public representative. Throughout his tenure, he claims to have not received any government benefits, including an honorarium.
The former mayor further stated that he had been allocated only Tk600-700 crore for two projects by the government. However, various departments, including the ACC and the Ministry of Local Government, have accused him of corruption amounting to Tk7,500 crore.
Jahangir Alam denied these allegations, terming them as "fictitious, fabricated, and baseless."
Earlier on Saturday, in a press briefing held at his residence in the Choy-Dana area, Jahangir claimed that he along with his mother and supporters again came under attack by the men of ruling Awami League-nominated mayoral candidate Azmat Ullah Khan while they were electioneering in Ward No 57 in Tongi.
Contacted, Tongi (east) police station OC Ashraful Islam claimed that no such attack had occurred. He explained that there was a clash between the two groups and the police intervened to escort both groups away from the scene in order to prevent any untoward situations.
Two separate investigation teams, led by ACC Deputy Director Ali Akbar, have been assigned to probe the allegations.
Responding to the matter, ACC Secretary Mahbub Hossain clarified that the investigation was initiated based on complaints filed in 2020 and 2022, following the directions of the High Court.
He said that Jahangir's being asked to visit the ACC office was a routine procedure and unrelated to the ongoing election.
