Top SAD leaders face Tk1cr embezzlement claims over referendum 'Yes' vote campaign

Allegations of embezzling at least Tk1 crore have been raised against three top leaders of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), centring on funds collected for campaigning in favour of a "Yes" vote in a referendum held in February.

At a press conference held at Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University yesterday (23 April), the organisation's central spokesperson Sinthiya Zaheen Ayesha accused senior leaders of financial irregularities and lack of transparency.

"At least Tk1 crore was collected through a foundation to campaign for the 'Yes' vote in the referendum for the 13th national parliamentary election. But despite being the spokesperson, neither I nor other responsible members of the committee were given any information about this fund. Instead, information was concealed and extreme opacity was maintained," she said.

Senior joint general secretaries and representatives of the private university wing were also present at the briefing.

Ayesha directly accused the organisation's President Rifat Rashid, who has recently joined the National Citizen Party, Chief Coordinator Hasib Al Islam, and Organising Secretary Moinul Islam of creating organisational barriers and engaging in irregularities.

She further alleged that Office Secretary Shahadat Hossain and Legal Cell Secretary Mahfuz were also involved in the misappropriation of funds.

According to her, inquiries about the fund were repeatedly avoided, and those who raised concerns were blamed and labelled as destabilising the organisation.

In a written statement, she said that during a meeting called by President Rifat Rashid on 12 April, participants' mobile phones were confiscated before any financial accounts were presented.

"Everyone's phones were taken away so that no one could preserve any information or take photos of the accounts. This is a clear indication of planned financial irregularities and embezzlement," she said.

She said the organisation has written to Bangladesh Bank seeking details of the financial transactions, including the sources of the funds.

Further steps will be announced after receiving the information, she added.

SAD appoints 5-member advisory panel after suspending central committee

Ayesha also alleged that when accountability was demanded, the leadership responded in an "authoritarian manner" by suspending the organisation and subsequently announcing resignations while preparing to join a political party.

She claimed that the suspension of the organisation and the formation of a five-member advisory panel were carried out without any internal discussion, calling the move "illegal."

"Four of the five members of the advisory panel hold positions in a specific political party," Ayesha added.

According to a notice published on SAD's official Facebook page on 19 April, the organisation suspended all activities of its current central committee citing "special circumstances."

A five-member advisory panel, comprising Abu Sayeed Leon, Hamza Mahbub, Tarikul Islam Reza, Moinul Islam, and Shahadat Hossain, has been formed to determine the next course of action and oversee the formation of a new central committee within 30 working days.