ACC Approves Chargesheet Against Eight Including Inu Over Alleged Embezzlement of Tk 6.5 Crore in Mural Construction at Betar Building
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved a chargesheet against eight people including former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu, on allegations of embezzling more than Tk 6 crore 64 lakh and causing financial loss to the government by including the construction of a mural of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a project at the Bangladesh Betar building in violation of law and rules.
ACC Secretary Md. Saidur Rahman Khan gave this information at a press conference at the ACC office on Sunday. He said that, citing an application by the artists of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, the mural construction was included as an unnecessary part of the project outside the rules, and through this the money was wasted and embezzled.
The beginning of the incident was with an application. On behalf of the artists of Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra, an application was made to install a sculpture or mural of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangladesh Betar's Agargaon center. Following that application, the then director general of Bangladesh Betar sent a recommendation for administrative approval to the Ministry of Information.
According to ACC information, at a meeting on 31 December 2017 chaired by then information minister Hasanul Haq Inu, a decision was taken to send the matter to the steering committee. Later, at the third meeting of the project steering committee, a proposal involving an expenditure of about Tk 7 crore was prepared.
After that, at another meeting held on 24 January 2018 chaired by Inu, the final decision was taken to construct this mural under the project 'Transfer, Construction and Modernization of Bangladesh Betar's Shahbagh Complex to Agargaon, Dhaka.' In other words, the mural construction work was attached within the main project of the radio building's transfer itself.
The ACC secretary said that later, at a meeting held on 9 December 2020 chaired by then information minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, approval was given to the design of the bronze mural. After that, through the appointment of a contractor, by 12 June 2024 a total of Tk 6 crore 64 lakh 94 thousand was withdrawn and received through 9 bills.
The ACC's inquiry found that under the guidelines for the formulation, processing, approval and revision of public-sector development projects, this mural was not an essential part of the main project. Nevertheless, the accused, in collusion with one another and abusing power, included the mural within the project in an irregular manner and caused a huge financial loss to the government.
The ACC says that since offenses punishable under sections 409 and 109 of the Penal Code and section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 have been proven against the accused, the commission has approved the filing of the chargesheet. Section 409 of the Penal Code concerns the offense of criminal breach of trust by a public servant, and section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act applies to acquiring assets through misconduct.
Approval of the chargesheet means the case will now move toward a formal trial process. After the chargesheet is filed in court, trial proceedings will run on the basis of the framing of charges and evidence. If the allegations against the accused are proven, punishment may follow according to law.
Former information minister Hasanul Haq Inu is a top leader of Jasod and was a member of parliament for a long time. Allegations of the embezzlement of such a large sum of money over a project from his tenure as minister have also given rise to discussion in political circles.
Attention will now be on the court — whether the chargesheet is accepted and how much the ACC can establish the evidence of its inquiry in the trial process will determine the outcome of the case.
