The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and 16 others on charges of causing a financial loss of Tk309.42 crore to the government by abusing power to award a contract to Computer Network Systems Limited (CNS).
The anti-graft watchdog disclosed the information in a statement on Sunday.
The other accused include former Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Local Government Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Law Minister Anisul Huq, State Minister for Finance MA Mannan, former Road Secretary MAN Siddique, former Additional Secretary Faruq Jalil, former Deputy Secretary Mohammad Shafiqul Karim, former Chief Engineers of the Roads and Highways Department Firoz Iqbal and Ibne Alam Hasan, former Additional Chief Engineers Aftab Hossain Khan and Abdus Salam, Computer Network Systems Limited’s managing director Munir-Uz-Zaman Chowdhury, and directors Selina Chowdhury and Ikram Iqbal.
According to the statement, the directors of Computer Network Systems Ltd, officials of the Roads and Highways Department and the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, members of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase, and then–Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – who approved the committee’s decision—acted in collusion to abuse government authority.
“With dishonest intent to gain personal benefit or to benefit others, they allegedly failed to perform their entrusted duties properly and misappropriated public funds,” the statement reads.
