The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has questioned ex-commissioner (investigation) Jahurul Haque for three hours at his former workplace over allegations of abuse of power, bribery and fraud regarding the procurement of a plot from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).
His wife, Masuma Begum, was also questioned during the interrogation.
Confirming the matter to the TIMES of Bangladesh, an ACC official said Haque appeared at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha with his wife on Wednesday morning in response to commission summons.
The inquiry team, led by ACC Director SMM Akhtar Hamid Bhuiyan, conducted the interrogation between 10:30am and 1:30pm.
Following the session, Haque left the ACC headquarters with his wife Masuma at approximately 1:40pm. However, he declined to answer questions posed by journalists on the ACC premises.
According to the ACC, Jahurul Haque faces multiple allegations, including irregularities in the allocation of RAJUK plots and the acquisition of illegal wealth through money laundering abroad.
An ACC official involved in the inquiry stated that in 2012, Masuma Begum was allotted a plot under the government employees’ category in the Purbachal New Town Project.
There are allegations that Jahurul Haque obtained another plot by concealing information about his wife’s allotment and violating regulations. Subsequently, the couple returned the two plots and, through an abuse of power, irregularly secured a 10-katha plot in their own names.
A three-member committee, led by an ACC director, was formed to investigate the complaints against Jahurul Haque following the emergence of these corruption allegations.
In a separate matter, on December 3, the ACC filed a case against Jahurul Haque and five others on charges of causing losses of approximately Tk 90 billion to the state. These charges relate to the reduction of international incoming call termination rates and revenue sharing.
Earlier, on December 25 last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs cancelled Jahurul Haque’s passport and imposed a travel ban on him. This decision was communicated via a letter signed by Deputy Secretary Kamruzzaman of the ministry.
Jahurul Haque, a retired judge, most recently served as a commissioner of the ACC. Prior to that role, he served as the chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).
