NCP leaders accuse ACC of demanding bribe, commission denies claim

National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Organiser (South) Hasnat Abdullah has claimed that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) demanded Tk100,000 from NCP leader Dr Mahamuda Mitu, despite no formal allegation against her. 

ACC has strongly refuted the allegations, stating that these claims are "defamatory and unverified."

In a post shared on Facebook on 24 June Hasnat alleged, "Even if there is no corruption allegation in your name, you have to pay Tk100,000 for clearance. Recently, Mahamuda Mitu was told about this demand by ACC DG Aktar and his deputy."

However, in an official press release issued on Tuesday night, the ACC condemned the post, stating that Hasnat's claims were "unverified and defamatory… targeting the director general and other officials." 

The ACC added that a "fraudulent group" was impersonating commission staff, falsely promising to secure case dismissals - an act entirely disconnected to ACC personnel. 

It also confirmed that legal action has been taken and several individuals linked to the scam have already been arrested.

BBC Bangla reports that Dr Mahmuda Mitu, a physician and deputy chief organiser of the NCP's southern region, joined the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society's board in March. She was later associated with a corruption-related ACC inquiry into alleged graft during the Awami League government.

Speaking to BBC Bangla, she said she had no record of corruption and was assured by ACC's public relations officer, Akhtarul Islam, that there were no charges against her. A representative from the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society also denounced the media allegations at the time as "false and misleading."

Dr Mitu described the recent phone call from someone posing as an ACC official, saying they demanded money for "tea and snacks," and later escalated the demand to Tk100,000. 

She added that her name had surfaced again in a news report on 6 June, prompting another phone call, which led her to inform Hasnat, who then posted about it on Facebook. She claims to have sent WhatsApp audio showing haggling over a settlement of Tk35,000.

Dr Mitu hinted that the false allegation was instigated by supporters of the previous Awami League-appointed officers at Red Crescent, who were removed when she joined the board.

"They began to provoke again, and I think they are colluding with ACC staff to orchestrate this," she told BBC Bangla.

ACC spokesperson Akhtarul Islam confirmed to BBC Bangla that the commission has received numerous complaints about extortion calls purporting to be from ACC officials.

"Many have filed GDs. ACC has already reported this to intelligence agencies," he said.

When questioned about if there were any formal complaints against Dr Mahmuda Mitu, he declined to comment further.

Dr Mitu expressed doubts over the timing of the ACC's press release - issued just an hour after the Facebook post appeared - questioning how the commission could be certain no staff were involved without an investigation. 

She insists some ACC officers were indeed complicit.