HC orders probe into allegations against Southeast Bank chairman

The High Court on Tuesday directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Ministry of Finance and Bangladesh Bank to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Southeast Bank Chairman Alamgir Kabir.

The HC virtual bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice SM Mozibur Rahman also issued a rule asking why inaction of the defendants should not be declared illegal and why legal action should not be taken against Alamgir Kabir based on newspaper reports.

The finance secretary, the ACC chairman, the Bangladesh Bank governor, the deputy governor of Financial Intelligence Unit, chairman and managing director of Southeast Bank have been asked to respond to the rule within the next four weeks.

The HC bench came up with the order and rule following a writ petition, filed on August 16, seeking its directives in this regard.

The court also ordered submission of the probe report within three month.

Advocate Manjil Morshed represented the writ while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.

The HC bench also fixed November 17 for the next hearing on this matter.

The writ petition was filed by lawyers Md Sarwar Ahad Chowdhury, Ekhlas Uddin Bhuiyan and Md Mahbubul Islam on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, a human rights organisation.

Earlier on August 9, The Business Post published a report title “Southeast Bank chairman accused of money laundering, corruption.”

The report said that five founder directors of Southeast Bank Limited raised allegations of corruption, irregularities and money laundering against incumbent Chairman Alamgir Kabir.

They also sent a letter to Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir on July 26, raising alarm that the bank’s deposits were in danger because of the chairman’s corruption, fraud and money laundering.