HC orders ACC to probe into Tk582cr fertiliser embezzlement

The High Court on Thursday asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe into the alleged embezzlement of fertiliser worth Tk582 crore by Poton Traders, the contractor in charge of transportation of the import.

The court also asked the ACC to submit the probe report to the court within 60 days.

Former MP Kamrul Ashraf Khan (Poton) is the owner of Poton Traders.

At the same time, the HC asked the Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) to give an explanation over the embezzlement of fertilisers within 20 January.

The court also has issued a ruling on why the failure and negligence of the authorities concerned to take action against those involved in the embezzlement should not be declared illegal.

The Industries secretary, Agricultural secretary, BCIC, and others concerned were asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.

Taking into cognisance the news published in a national daily, the bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Lizu passed the suo moto order.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC in the court while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik and Assistant Attorney General Anna Khanam Koli represented the state.

A national daily published a report on Thursday stating that Poton Traders has allegedly misappropriated 72,000 tonnes of government-imported chemical fertilisers without delivering them to the warehouse after release from the port.

The government has suffered a financial loss of Tk582 crore for this embezzlement.

The fertiliser embezzlement has come to light in two investigations by the BCIC, a government body under the Ministry of Industry that imports fertiliser.

The fertilisers were released between November 2021 and 15 May 2022. After seven months of non-supply of fertiliser, the BCIC sent a letter to the Ministry of Industries on 20 December last year, seeking instructions for taking legal action.