Anti-Corruption Commission has sent letter to Singapore to know the information about the Bangladeshi gamblers in Casino there. The letter was sent to theDirector of Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau of Singapore by the Director General of ACC (Money Laundering) of ACC ANM Al Feroz.
The letter was sent on last Thursday, confirmed by ACC. In the letter it was mentioned that according to the ant-corruption section 48 of UN the letter was sent where both the countries are signatory. In that section the cooperation among the countries against corruption has been mentioned.
In the letter it was further told that from the policy of government’s zero tolerance it has started all out drives against corruption. The government has information that the corruption lords of this country have laundered huge amount of money earning from illegal sources. The arrested persons have confessed that they have laundered huge money to many countries including Singapore. They also admitted that they played Casino there by the laundered money.
In the letter ACC has told that to unearth correct information, it needs correct information who were the Bangladeshi players in the Casino Marina Bay and other Casinos. Because at the time of entry in those Casinos, the passport numbers are to be recorded there. ACC has requested to send the information of last five years.
It is learnt from the law enforcing agencies sources, that many Bangladeshi ‘Big Fishes’ and even some VIP status people used to gamble in Casino in Marina Bay and other Casinos. If information is received from Singapore then the investigation will get a new turn, as observed by many.
During the on going anti-corruption raid names of many ‘big- fishes’ have come out. The names have surfaced from the arrested 10 by Rab. The names of about 100 including JS members, government officials have come out. Now the ACC has begun investigation against the suspects.
ACC so far filed 9 cases against the illegal earners. It has imposed embargo on foreign tour of 34 persons including two JS members. The information of bank accounts of more than 400 suspected persons were sought from BFIU. The information of 100 persons’ of bank account and their properties were sought.
On the first day of anti-casino drive on last September 18 the drive was conducted in the Fakirapul Youngmens’ club. From there, the organizing secretary of Dhaka South Jubo League Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan was arrested(expelled later on). In the continued drives next one by one so called Jubo Leagueleader and contractor SM Golam Kibria Shamim alias GK Shamim, director of Mohammadan club Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, president of Dhaka city south Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, his associate Enamul Haque Araman, President of Kalabagan Krira Chakra Mohammad Shafiqul Aloam (Feroz), Online casino lord Selim Prodhan and three ward Councilors Habibur Rahman Mizan, Tarequzzaman Rajib and Mainul Haque Manju.
Several allegations of earning huge money through illegal means, money laundering and many other allegations came up. Moreover the names of their patrons including JS members, government officials and politicians also were revealed. Along with law enforcing agencies the ACC has also come out to unearth their illegal properties and assets.
Embargoes on the foreign visit of MP from Bhola, Nurunnnabi Chowdhury Shaown, MP from Chattogram, Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and MP from Sunamganj, Moazzem Hossain including other 31 were slapped. Of them the arrested also included. There are also names of 14 more including former Chief Engineer of PWD Rafiqul Islam and Hafizul Islam Munshi.