The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formally requested the Bangladesh Bank governor to take immediate measures to temporarily freeze all safe deposits held by bank officials in the institution’s security vault. This step aims to prevent access to potentially undisclosed assets amidst an ongoing investigation.
Confirming the development on Tuesday, ACC Director (Deputy Secretary) Kazi Sayemuzzaman stated that the commission has taken this measure in light of recent discoveries of unaccounted wealth in the bank’s vaults.
According to the ACC’s letter, on 26 January, an investigation team, with court approval and in the presence of a magistrate, searched the safe deposit of former deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury in Bangladesh Bank’s coin vault. Upon unsealing three containers deposited by him, they discovered €55,000, $169,300, 1,005.4 grams of gold, and fixed deposits worth Tk 70 million.
Further scrutiny of the vault register revealed that several other bank officials had also deposited sealed safe deposits. The ACC suspects these may contain undisclosed wealth, prompting concerns over money laundering and financial misconduct. Given the seriousness of these allegations, the commission considers it essential to restrict access to such deposits.
The ACC’s letter further referenced a discussion held on 30 January between its chairman and the finance adviser on the subject of “ACC and asset recovery”. During the meeting, concerns were raised regarding the presence of potentially illicit assets within the central bank’s vault. The finance adviser reportedly agreed to the temporary freezing of these deposits to aid in the investigation and asset recovery process.
Financial Transparency and Regulatory Oversight in Bangladesh:
This move by the ACC underscores the growing emphasis on financial transparency and accountability in Bangladesh’s banking sector. With previous high-profile financial scandals, regulatory bodies have intensified efforts to combat corruption and money laundering. The outcome of this investigation could have far-reaching implications for banking regulations, ensuring stricter oversight on officials’ financial dealings.