The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Thursday started an inquiry against the board of directors of Grameen Telecom, including its Chairman Dr Muhammad Yunus over embezzlement of the welfare funds of the employees and laundering of Tk 3,000 crore.
The anti-graft body initiated the inquiry following a report submitted by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments of the Ministry of Labour and Employment against the board of directors of the telecom company.
ACC Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain disclosed the information while speaking to journalists at the ACC’s Segunbagicha headquarters in Dhaka.
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The company’s board of directors allegedly embezzled Tk 2,977 crore by transferring it to other affiliated companies of Grameen Telecom, he said.
According to the report, there are allegations that the board members embezzled 5 per cent of the money allotted for employees, illegally deducting 6 per cent as advocate fees and other fees from the salary of workers, ultimately embezzling Tk 45.52 crore from welfare funds of workers and employees.
ACC secretary also said they took the decision of conducting the inquiry after analyzing the report sent by the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments in this regard.
Answering a query about whether Dr Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, will be interrogated over the allegation, Mahbub Hossain said, “The commission has just started the inquiry. Once the inquiry officer is appointed, you will know who is involved.”
The inquiry officer will collect information from the members of the board of directors and conduct inquiries as per rules, he also added.
