ACC approves charge sheet against Anisul Huq over Tk172cr illegal wealth

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved a charge sheet against former law minister and former Brahmanbaria-4 lawmaker Anisul Huq for allegedly acquiring illegal wealth worth Tk172.24 crore, while also identifying suspicious and unusual transactions amounting to Tk737.24 crore.

ACC Secretary Md Saidur Rahman Khan today (16 September) disclosed the information at a regular media briefing held at the commission's headquarters in the capital. 

"The ACC approved a charge sheet against the former law minister and two others at a meeting of the commission," said the secretary. 

According to the ACC, its investigation found that Anisul had acquired movable and immovable assets worth Tk180.85 crore.

Against this, his net acceptable income after deducting family expenses from his lawful income was found to be Tk8.61 crore, leaving Tk172.24 crore in assets inconsistent with his known sources of income, ACC said.

The investigation found assets worth Tk96.80 crore in Anisul's own name and another Tk84.05 crore in the names of three persons allegedly having interests linked to him.

Of these assets, Tk23.32 crore was held in the name of his younger brother's wife, Jebunnesa Begum, Tk20.71 crore in the name of his nephew Sheikh Md Iftekharul Islam and Tk40.01 crore in the name of Mohammad Iqbal, who was identified as a cousin.

The ACC said Jebunnesa held shares worth Tk10 crore and fixed deposits worth Tk13 crore at Citizens Bank. Iftekharul Islam held shares worth more than Tk20 crore at the same bank, while Iqbal held shares worth more than Tk40 crore.

The investigation also found that Anisul and persons and entities linked to his interests deposited Tk375.51 crore and withdrew Tk361.73 crore through 23 bank accounts. The total amount involved in the transactions was Tk737.24 crore, which the ACC described as unusual and suspicious transactions.

The Commission has approved the filing of a charge sheet against Anisul and the other three individuals under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, Section 109 of the Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 and the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.

ACC deputy director Md Jahangir Alam filed the case with the commission's Dhaka-1 integrated district office on 1 January, 2025.