United News of Bangladesh

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday pledged a zero-tolerance stance against corruption and vowed to strengthen public security if his party comes to power through the 13th parliamentary election, warning that no one will be spared for graft or misuse of public resources. Addressing a big election rally at the Polo Ground in the port city, he also said the BNP will make Chattogram the country’s commercial capital if elected, completing an initiative first taken during the party’s last tenure but left unfinished. “We want to make it very clear that corruption is a crime. No matter who commits corruption, the law will apply equally. InshAllah no one will be spared,” Tarique told the crowd. The BNP Chairman also said, “These two things — tackling corruption and ensuring public security — are our commitments to the people of this country.” He said the BNP has proved in the past that it can control corruption, recalling how the Khaleda Zia government succeeded after coming to power in 2001. “When BNP was in office, you saw that even some of our own party leaders who engaged in wrongdoing did not get exemption,” the BNP leader added. Tarique said Chattogram carries historical, emotional and economic significance, and many people have long demanded the declaration of the city as the country’s commercial capital. “That initiative was taken by Begum Khaleda Zia, but could not be fully completed due to lack of time. If BNP forms the next government, the initiative will be implemented as quickly as possible,” he said. Tarique said such a move will create large employment opportunities, strengthen trade and boost economic activities not only in Chattogram but across the country. Introducing BNP candidates from Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and the Chattogram Hill Tracts, Tarique called upon voters to place their trust in the party’s election symbol, the ‘sheaf of paddy’. “We want to build an expected Bangladesh with everyone — whether from hills or plains, Muslim or another religion,” he said. Read More: Tarique Rahman appeals to voters, highlights BNP’s track record Through the large gathering, Tarique appealed to voters in the wider region to trust the BNP and its party symbol, saying that those who believe in democracy, free speech and citizens’ rights should support the party. “InshAllah, if BNP is elected, we will together build Bangladesh for working people, just like we did in the past,” he added, repeating his slogan: “Korbo kaj, gorbo desh, Shobar Aage Bangladesh” (We shall work, we shall build the country — Bangladesh before everything). Tarique alleged that a new political plot is underway similar to the previous 15 years during which, he claimed, people’s political and economic rights were “taken away”. “I urge you to stay alert so that your right to vote, to speak and to live is not snatched again,” he said. Urging people to vote on the election day, the BNP chief asked supporters to wake up for Tahajjud prayers and then go to their polling stations before dawn. “Offer Tahajjud, then Fajr in front of the polling centre, and stand in line from the very beginning,” he said, to which activists replied, “We will!” and he answered, “InshAllah.” Sunday’s rally marked Tarique’s first major public address in Chattogram in two decades. He last spoke at a similar rally at Laldighi Maidan on May 6, 2005 as BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General. Now, as party chairman, Chattogram became the second stop of his national campaign outside Dhaka after formally launching his campaign in Sylhet on January 22. Supporters began arriving at the Polo Ground early in the morning from Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban. By 10am the field was filled to capacity. Tarique in Chattogram for second phase of election campaign At the beginning of his speech, Tarique greeted the crowd in the local Chattogram dialect, asking, “Onera Ken Achon?” (How are you?). He then made historical references to Chattogram, noting that it was from this city that late President and his father Ziaur Rahman announced the country’s independence in 1971, that he was later killed here, and that his mother Begum Khaleda Zia was conferred the title of “Deshnetri” (leader of the nation). Tarique reached Shah Amanat International Airport on Saturday night and stayed at a hotel before attending Sunday’s programme. He arrived on stage at around 12:30pm and left for Feni at 1:40pm, where he was scheduled to address another election meeting before speaking in Cumilla’s Chauddagram, Suyagazi, Daudkandi, and later at Kanchpur near Narayanganj. Read More: Law and order, corruption high on BNP agenda: Tarique The rally was chaired by City Mayor and Chattogram BNP President Shahadat Hossain. BNP Standing Committee members Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed and other nominees from Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar and the Hill Tracts also addressed the gathering.  

Allegations of bribery, document forgery and abuse of power have surfaced around haor embankment projects in Sunamganj district, raising fears that corruption could undermine flood protection works critical to the country’s boro rice harvest. Farmers in Shalla upazila accuse officials and politically connected individuals of turning publicly funded embankment schemes into a money-making operation, using irregular project implementation committees (PICs) to siphon off crores of taka meant to protect haor wetlands from early floods. At the heart of the allegations is a pattern of deliberate exclusion. Under government rules, PICs must be formed with five to seven members drawn from landowners and genuine beneficiary farmers in the project area. Illegal topsoil extraction threatens ‘Gaillar Haor’, croplands in Sunamganj Instead, farmers say, committees have been stacked with non-farmers through political influence and large-scale financial transactions, allowing control over project funds with little accountability. “They have reduced embankment construction to a business,” said one local farmer, adding, “The committees are just tools for looting.” Complaints filed with the administration allege widespread irregularities across multiple projects, including those numbered 108, 109, 118, 14, 33, 18, 119, 70 and 22. In each case, farmers claim individuals with no land in the project areas were appointed to PICs, while rightful landowners were sidelined. One of the most contentious cases involves project No. 108 under the Kalinikota Haor sub-project, covering embankment repairs from the Hawar canal to Sapuria Para. Khondkar Habib, a farmer whose ancestral and recorded land lies directly beneath the embankment, said corruption was evident even after official inspections. “Despite submitting all documents on time, our names were excluded from the list published on January 2,” Habib said.  “The entire embankment runs over our land, and soil must be taken from our property. Even after seeing everything on the ground, public health engineer Rashedul Islam approved a committee of non-farmers. We are hearing this was done in exchange for a large amount of money,” he said. Allegations of financial misconduct extend beyond individual projects. A member of the upazila-level PIC implementation committee accused senior officials of facilitating transactions rather than enforcing oversight. “Our signatures were taken before meetings even began,” the committee member said, adding, “Money was exchanged from projects 25 and 93. Even after informing the UNO, the projects were not suspended. From projects 45 and 98 alone, Tk 300,000 was taken, along with money from several others, by PDB committee members and public health engineer Md Rashedul Islam.” Further inquiries have revealed allegations of document forgery and criminal backgrounds among committee leaders. The chairman of PIC No. 70, Pradip Chandra Das, is facing an ongoing case at Dhaka’s Uttara East Police Station. Farmers allege he secured his position by forging land ownership records for property he had already sold. Despite policy provisions prioritising local participation, residents say several projects include committee members from neighbouring upazilas, a move they believe weakens accountability and encourages substandard work. “Outsiders take the money and leave,” said another farmer. “If the embankment collapses and our crops are destroyed, we will suffer, not them.” Local leaders of the Haor Bachao Andolon say the scale of alleged corruption this year surpasses previous records. They warn that haor agriculture depends on a single annual crop, making embankment failure potentially catastrophic. Victims have submitted written complaints seeking cancellation and reconstitution of the disputed committees to the Shalla upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) and the chairman of the upazila Kabita committee. Copies have also been sent to the district administration and senior officials of the Bangladesh Water Development Board. Attempts to contact the officials accused of wrongdoing were unsuccessful. Piyas Chandra Das, Shalla Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) said the allegations are under review and that action will be taken if evidence is found. With embankment work deadlines approaching, farmers say delays in addressing corruption could leave both public funds and crops dangerously exposed.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Tuesday (January 20, 2026) arrested Syed Sohanur Rahman Siam, son of former Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) driver Syed Abed Ali Jibon, on charges of amassing illegal assets worth around Tk 3.25 crore. ACC Public Relations Officer Md Akterul Islam confirmed the arrest. Earlier, on January 5, 2025, the ACC filed three separate cases against Syed Abed Ali Jibon, his wife Shahrin Akhter Shilpi, and their son Syed Sohanur Rahman Siam, accusing them of acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 5.37 crore and engaging in suspicious financial transactions amounting to nearly Tk 45 crore. Siam was shown arrested in connection with that case on Tuesday. Read More: ACC in no position to investigate info on candidates' affidavits According to the case statements, Abed Ali Jibon allegedly conducted suspicious transactions totaling Tk 41.29 crore through 12 bank accounts, depositing Tk 20.88 crore and withdrawing Tk 20.41 crore. Investigators also found evidence that he acquired assets worth Tk 3.70 crore beyond known sources of income. His wife, Shahrin Akhter Shilpi, has been accused of possessing illegal assets worth Tk 1.26 crore. She allegedly carried out suspicious transactions totaling Tk 3.56 crore through two bank accounts. Meanwhile, their son and former Chhatra League leader Syed Sohanur Rahman Siam has been accused of acquiring assets worth Tk 3. 3 crore from undisclosed sources. The ACC brought charges under Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, and Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, for concealing, converting, transferring, and handing over illegally obtained money and assets derived from corruption and bribery. Read More: ACC files two cases against former CMP CT unit officer, wife and sisters over Tk61.19cr illicit wealth In July 2024, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police arrested 17 people, including former PSC chairman’s driver Abed Ali, in connection with the leakage of PSC question papers. Following the incident, the ACC launched an investigation into his assets. Sources said Abed Ali had previously been dismissed from service in 2014 after allegations of question paper leakage were proven. He was found directly involved in an incident during a written examination for the post of Assistant Maintenance Engineer under the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, where a candidate was caught red-handed with illegal answers to examination questions. Once working as a porter, Abed Ali later learned to drive and joined the PSC. Over time, he allegedly amassed huge wealth through involvement in question paper leakage syndicates and emerged as an industrialist in his locality. Earlier, Abed Ali and his son Sohanur Rahman were also arrested for alleged involvement in a question paper leakage ring linked to recruitment examinations for the post of Sub-Assistant Engineer of Bangladesh Railway. Read more: Hasnat slams Public Admin Ministry; NCP submits 15-point proposal to PSC

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur on Sunday said the central bank is promoting digital and QR code-based payments, even at small shops, to foster a cashless and corruption-free society. Speaking at the rebranding inauguration of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC’s mobile financial service mCash in Dhaka, Dr Mansur said the government could earn an additional Tk1.5-2.0 lakh crore from a fully digital payment ecosystem. “Bangladesh spends around Tk20,000 crore annually to manage cash—the highest globally. Digital payments can significantly reduce this cost,” he added. Governor Mansur expressed optimism about mCash, citing Islami Bank’s roughly 3 crore customer accounts—the largest for a single bank in the country. He said mobile financial services are indispensable for expanding the digital payment system and that Bangladesh Bank is working to ensure smooth interoperability among services. The Governor cautioned that Islami banks must operate in line with Shariah principles, highlighting that some, including S. Alam, have faced risks due to non-compliant lending. A draft law for Shariah-compliant operations has been completed by the central bank. Microcredit Bank to operate as non-profit social business under Bangladesh Bank oversight: CDF Dr Mansur urged mCash to leverage Islami Bank’s 400 branches, 271 sub-branches, and about 2,800 agent outlets, including its remittance flows. He stressed the importance of long-term planning, customer trust, and incentives like cashback to drive adoption. “Encouraging digital transactions in retail and the SME sector via QR codes will reduce corruption and increase revenue,” he said. Professor Dr M Zubaidur Rahman, Chairman of Islami Bank, presided over the event.

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has been identified as the most corruption-prone public service office in the country, according to the Citizen Perception Survey (CPS) 2025, released by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS). The survey found that 63.29 percent of citizens who sought services from BRTA experienced corruption. BRTA was followed by law enforcement agencies (57.96 percent) and passport offices (57.45 percent) on the corruption list. The report was unveiled on Wednesday at the BBS auditorium in Agargaon, Dhaka. According to the survey, 31.67 percent of respondents admitted to having paid bribes directly while receiving government services in the past 12 months. Read more: BRTA chairman wants to see accident-free roads The rate of bribery was significantly higher among men (38.62 percent) compared to women (22.71 percent). An overwhelming 98.48 percent of respondents reported paying bribes in cash. BBS conducted the nationwide CPS between February 6 and 23, 2025, covering 64 districts. Data were collected through interviews with 84,807 respondents aged 18 and above (39,894 men and 44,913 women) from 45,888 households across 1,920 Primary Sampling Units (PSUs). The findings show that 63.29 percent of respondents who interacted with BRTA officials admitted to paying bribes to receive services, making it the most corruption-prone government office among those surveyed, while the least bribery was recorded in government and autonomous banks and insurance offices (2.98 percent), public educational institutions (2.94 percent), and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) itself, which stood at 1.99 percent. Law enforcement agencies ranked second, where 61.94 percent of service recipients said they had to pay bribes. This was followed by the passport office at 57.45 percent and the land registry (cadastre) office at 54.92 percent, highlighting persistent corruption in citizen-facing and documentation-related services. Read more: Road crashes claim 380 lives in July: BRTA More than half of the respondents also reported bribery in interactions with judges, magistrates, prosecutors and other legal officials (53.77 percent), and the land record, acquisition and settlement offices (51.40 percent). At the mid-range, bribery was reported by 44.68 percent of respondents dealing with accounts offices, while customs, excise, and VAT offices recorded 35.37 percent. Local government offices at the union parishad, pourashava, and upazila levels stood at 32.91 percent, followed by district and upazila election offices at 26.04 percent. Lower levels of bribery were reported in social security and welfare offices (19.20 percent) and public utility services such as electricity, water and gas (18.41 percent). Interactions with elected local government representatives (14.94 percent) and income tax or revenue offices (14.08 percent) showed relatively lower but still notable corruption. Bribery incidence was lowest in the district and upazila administration (11.33 percent), agricultural offices (9.07 percent), and among public healthcare providers, including doctors and nurses (8.05 percent). Only 7.91 percent reported bribery involving elected Members of Parliament. The data underscore deep-rooted governance challenges, particularly in transport, law enforcement and land-related services, where citizens’ dependence on officials continues to fuel informal payments despite ongoing reform efforts. The survey assessed progress on six indicators of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, based on citizens’ perceptions and experiences related to security, good governance, quality of public services, corruption, access to justice, and discrimination. Read more: CNG drivers block road outside BRTA prompting Mohakhali-Uttara tailback Nationally, the average household size was four members, with 81.97 percent male-headed households and 18.03 percent female-headed households. On security, 84.81 percent of citizens reported feeling safe walking alone in their neighbourhoods after sunset while the sense of safety was lower among women (80.67 percent) compared to men (89.53 percent). The feeling of safety inside one’s home after dark was higher at 92.54 percent. In terms of governance, only 27.24 percent of citizens believed they could influence government decisions, while this figure dropped to 21.99 percent regarding political decision-making. Nationally, about 24.62 percent of respondents felt that the country’s political system is inclusive and responsive, with little difference between rural (24.47 percent) and urban (24.91 percent) areas. Regarding public service delivery over the past year, 47.12 percent of respondents accessed government health services, while 40.93 percent reported that at least one of their children attended a government primary or secondary school. Besides, 73.77 percent sought other government services such as identity cards or civil registration. Satisfaction levels varied across services: 72.69 percent for healthcare, 81.56 percent for primary education, 78.18 percent for secondary education, and 66.91 percent for other government services. The survey also found that 16.16 percent of citizens experienced disputes or conflicts in the past two years. Among them, 83.60 percent had access to some form of dispute resolution, either formal (such as courts) or informal (such as community leaders). Of these, 41.34 percent used formal institutions, while 68.96 percent relied on informal mechanisms. On discrimination, 19.31 percent of respondents reported experiencing some form of discrimination. Read more: BRTA provides financial assistance to families of road crash victims in Joypurhat The main bases were socio-economic status (6.82 percent) and gender (4.47 percent). Incidents occurred most frequently within families (49.72 percent), in public transport or open spaces (34.82 percent), and at workplaces (24.85 percent). Only 5.37 percent of victims reported such incidents to the authorities.

BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan on Tuesday (December 09, 2025) rejected allegations that the party created fake voters and made Bangladesh the ‘champion of corruption’ during its tenure, calling the claims politically motivated and factually incorrect. Speaking at the inaugural session of BNP’s ‘Plan to Build the Country,’ discussion at Khamarbari Krishibid Institute, Nazrul said the party worked sincerely to curb corruption after coming to power, particularly in its final two years in office. “But eliminating corruption built up over many years is not something that can be done overnight,” he added. Nazrul Islam said corruption perception reports were not published before 2001. BNP assumed office in October that year, and Bangladesh’s position in the index reflected corruption under preceding caretaker and Awami League governments, he claimed. Read more: ‘Religion card’ no longer fooling citizens, says Salahuddin He also dismissed claims that BNP created 1.5 million fake voters, saying those making such allegations “are not aware of the facts.” Nazrul Islam said BNP had sought to update the voter list, but the Awami League moved to court to block the process. “While people are eager to register as voters, there is little incentive for relatives to remove names after someone dies. Many of those labelled as fake voters had already passed away. Their names simply weren’t removed. BNP tried to renew the list but was prevented,” he explained. Nazrul Islam also spoke against using religion for electioneering, noting that Bangladesh’s Muslims are among the most devout in the world. “People here don’t need to vote to secure a place in heaven. They will achieve that through their own deeds,” he said. Read more: Tarique warns BNP of ‘something terrible’ if unity falters He assured that BNP has clear plans for the country, promising greater income equality and overall development if the party is voted into power. Urging party activists to avoid internal divisions, Nazrul said, “You may not get nomination, may not become an MP or minister, or even a district secretary. But if BNP forms the government, your dignity and importance will increase. Keep working for the party with that in mind.” Nazrul Islam described BNP as most organised under the leadership of acting chairman Tarique Rahman. “Ziaur Rahman founded BNP, Khaleda Zia established it as a political force, and Tarique Rahman strengthened the organization further,” he said. BNP is currently more organised than ever, with significantly lower levels of defection compared to previous years, and that the party’s main priority is improving people’s quality of life, he added. Read more: BNP ready to lead fresh drive against corruption: Tarique

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday (December 09, 2025) said his party is ready to lead a fresh strong and comprehensive drive against corruption if voted to power as graft has become deeply rooted in Bangladesh and continues to disrupt the daily lives of millions of people. “Fighting corruption will be an uphill battle after years of systemic abuse. But Bangladesh’s own history proves progress is possible. With commitment, discipline, and public support, meaningful reform can return. If entrusted by the people, BNP is prepared to lead that charge, once again,” he said in a post on his verified Facebook page, marking International Anti-Corruption Day. Tarique said corruption now affects every part of life--from graduates seeking jobs on merit, to farmers waiting for services, young families struggling for healthcare and education, and entrepreneurs paying extra just to keep their businesses running. Read more: Tarique warns BNP of ‘something terrible’ if unity falters “From food prices to school quality to road safety, corruption cripple’s daily life for millions,” he wrote. The BNP leader mentioned that early governance reforms under President Ziaur Rahman prioritised administrative discipline, clean public service and economic liberalisation that reduced bottlenecks and discretionary power. Later, he said the administrations of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia modernised institutions through procurement rules, financial administration laws, strengthened audits, and clearer oversight mechanisms. Tarique pointed to the formation of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2004 as a “major milestone”, replacing the Bureau of Anti-Corruption and enabling independent investigation and prosecution in line with global standards “Development partners such as the World Bank and ADB recognised this as a significant step toward accountability.” Read more: Tarique slams Jamaat for ‘propaganda’ against BNP echoing Awami League “Despite reservations about Transparency International Bangladesh’s (TIB) methodology at the time, even they reported improved CPI performance: Bangladesh’s score rose from 1.2 in 2002 to 1.7 in 2005. Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer (2003) found that 66% of citizens felt corruption had decreased. These gains reflected reforms that strengthened clarity, reduced discretion, and expanded oversight,” he observed. Tarique said BNP takes pride in reforms made in those years, including stronger financial governance, improved treasury systems, tighter budgets, better audits, and early anti-money-laundering and banking regulations, competitive procurement rules, expansion of media and telecom sectors, and early digitisation and decentralisation efforts that reduced bureaucratic discretion. “The record speaks for itself: BNP is the only party so far to make sustained progress in reducing corruption,” he claimed. Outlining the party’s future agenda, he said BNP plans to ensure complete institutional independence for the judiciary, ACC, election bodies, public service and law enforcement, introduce open procurement and real-time audits, modernise policing, prosecution and case management, expand e-governance, protect whistleblowers, strengthen ethics and civic education, and closely monitor public spending through independent audits and stronger parliamentary oversight. Read more: ‘Religion card’ no longer fooling citizens, says Salahuddin

Over the past 11 months, Bangladesh’s anti-graft landscape has unfolded with a mix of progress, as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has wrapped up 249 cases since December 2024, but with more than half ending up in acquittal. From December 2024 to October 2025, 512 cases were filed against corrupt people both at home and abroad, including money launderers, state fund embezzlers, loan defaulters and various government, private and political figures. During the same period, 249 pending cases were resolved, resulting in convictions in 126 cases and acquittal in 123. The ACC also reported recovering fines amounting to Tk 5,058 crore and confiscating assets worth Tk 321 crore. Read more: Recovered gold not only Hasina’s, includes family members too, says ACC According to 11 months of case and charge sheet statistics, the ACC received 11,630 complaints, but only 960 were accepted for inquiry. Meanwhile, 798 enforcement operations were conducted, of which 188 are under investigation, 28 have resulted in cases, and four people were caught red-handed through traps. Besides, 23 public hearings were held. During this period, the ACC says, a total of 512 cases were filed implicating 2,191 accused individuals. Charge sheets were submitted in 315 cases, naming 1,078 accused.  A total of 73 cases were exempted under FRT (final report). Following the fall of the Awami League government amid mass protests on August 5 last year, the ACC began investigating corruption by top politicians, businessmen and institutions. The commission found evidence of money laundering and corruption, prompting a series of cases and subsequent court orders to freeze and confiscate assets — a process that continues. In the aftermath of the mass uprising, the ACC claimed it had achieved record success in its crackdown on corrupt individuals, confiscating and freezing unprecedented amounts of movable and immovable assets. Between December 2024 and October 2025, the ACC seized and froze assets worth more than Tk 26,013 crore belonging to over 300 individuals and entities involved in corruption, embezzlement and money laundering. By comparison, the total value of confiscated and frozen assets in all of 2024 was only Tk 361 crore. In the five years from 2020 to 2024, the combined figure stood at roughly Tk 3,450 crore, highlighting the dramatic surge in asset seizures over the past 11 months. According to ACC’s asset management division and court sources, Tk 3,457 crore 83 lakh worth of assets were confiscated within the country during this period. Besides, domestic bank and financial accounts containing Tk 22,226 crore 79 lakh were frozen, along with Tk 328 crore 38 lakh frozen abroad. In total, around Tk 26,013 crore 2 lakh 93 thousand in assets were confiscated or frozen both domestically and internationally. Commenting on the overall development, ACC Commissioner Miah Muhammad Ali Akbar Azizi said, “I want to emphasise that the ACC is empowered with substantial legal authority. To expedite judicial proceedings, more special courts are required.” Read more: ACC approves chargesheet against former IGP Benazir Ahmed ACC has not yet become the fully empowered institution it needs to be, said its Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen. Responding to a question on whether the ACC is a ‘toothless tiger’, he said, “The ACC has both teeth and claws — though they may need further sharpening. The teeth are not as sharp as they need to be. The claws have not fully grown yet. We are somewhere in the middle stage.” When asked whether the ACC faces political or external pressure, the chairman issued a strong warning, saying that anyone attempting to hinder corruption inquiries or investigations in the future will have their names publicly disclosed. He emphasised that combating corruption is not solely the responsibility of the ACC. Each government, autonomous, and private institution must strengthen their own audit mechanisms. “If institutions took action against corrupt officials based on their internal audit reports, many cases would not even need to come to the ACC,” he said. Sharing data on recent ACC activities, Momen noted that an analysis of the 11 months from December 2024 to October 2025 shows that politicians account for the lowest number of ACC cases. During this period, 151 cases were filed against politicians, while only 28 cases resulted in charge sheets. The chairman’s comments underline both the structural limitations of the ACC and the growing expectation for greater transparency, especially with the new warning to expose those who attempt to exert undue influence. Read more: ACC to reveal names if pressure exerted to obstruct probe: Chairman

Begum Rokeya University (BRUR) in Rangpur, long hailed as a leading higher education institution in northern Bangladesh, has recently come under intense scrutiny over allegations of sexual harassment, nepotism and corruption. Sources at the university report that since its establishment, 33 students, faculty members and staff have fallen victim to sexual misconduct, raising serious concerns among educationists and civic society leaders. Fahkrul Anam Benju, an educationist in Rangpur and president of the Sujon Forum, voiced deep apprehension over the situation, saying, “When students in a leading university feel unsafe, words fail us. We are both angry and disappointed.” The issue came to public attention following allegations against Dr Shakibul Islam, an associate professor in the Disaster Science and Management Department, who has been relieved of all departmental duties. A notice issued by the department head, Professor Md Imdadul Haque, cited urgent action in response to complaints from students of the 2020–21 academic year. Dr Islam has been barred from supervising or examining fourth-year, second-semester courses, including DSM4207 (Research Project). Read more: BRUR Prof Rashidul Islam suspended over harassment allegation Several victims have claimed that their pursuit of higher education has placed their personal safety at risk. University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Showkat Ali described the situation as both ‘embarrassing’ and ‘shameful’. Meanwhile, separate allegations of corruption and nepotism have resurfaced involving five former university officials, including a previous Vice-Chancellor. Two of the accused were suspended at one point, while three others remain in their positions, with no visible administrative action taken. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed a case 12 years ago against former VC Prof Dr Muhammad Abdul Jalil Miah over alleged financial irregularities, recruitment malpractice, and nepotism. The university’s anti-corruption mancha first reported the VC’s alleged misconduct to the ACC on 5 March 2013, triggering an investigation. Abdul Karim, then Deputy Director of ACC Rangpur, confirmed that a case was filed on 12 December 2013 against the former VC and two others at Kotwali Police Station. Another accused was then-Registrar Md Shahjahan Ali Mondal. Over the course of a nearly three-year investigation, ACC Deputy Assistant Director Md Akbar Ali found further involvement of university officials, including Planning and Development Deputy Director ATGM Golam Firoz, Assistant Registrar Md Morshed Ul Alam Roni and Finance and Accounts Assistant Director Khandakar Ashraful Alam. The investigation revealed irregularities in appointments: Golam Firoz was promoted from an ad hoc Grade-9 position to Grade-5 Deputy Director without the required experience. Md Morshed was appointed Assistant Registrar within two years of completing his postgraduate degree, falling short of the mandatory five-year experience. Khandakar Ashraful was initially hired on an ad hoc basis and later regularised as Assistant Director (Budget) without meeting standard protocols. Read more: Panel formed to settle BRUR teacher Mahmudul’s seniority, promotion In July 2017, former VC Jalil and Registrar Shahjahan surrendered to the court and were sent to jail, while arrest warrants were issued for the other three officials. The university syndicate suspended Shahjahan, Firoz, Md Morshed, and Khandakar Ashraful. However, in October 2017, the court granted temporary relief to the three officials, allowing for administrative discretion by the university in case of questionable appointments. Later, the orders were mysteriously revoked, and their positions were regularised. The ACC appealed, and the High Court subsequently nullified the lower court’s relief, ordering the formation of charges. The case remains pending, with hearings delayed due to adjournments requested by the accused. VC Showkat Ali said, “The administration had not informed me about these issues. After learning of them through investigations, I inquired further. No department had brought this to my notice, so I could not take action. The corruption case involving the former VC and others is extremely important.” He added, “I am consulting with their lawyers and will act according to legal procedures. If departmental action is possible, it will be taken. I have never compromised on integrity, and any measures will be transparent.” The ongoing controversies at BRUR, ranging from sexual harassment to allegations of nepotism and corruption, underscore the urgent need for accountability and systemic reform in one of northern Bangladesh’s flagship universities. Read more: Rokeya University teacher Mahamud gets bail; OC transferred

Transparency International’s (TI) International Board Chair François Valérian on Thursday said that corruption in Bangladesh still persists, although it has declined since the July uprising. “Identifying where the laundered money has gone and bringing it back is urgent. This requires coordinated action with the relevant countries,” Valérian told a press conference at a city hotel. Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) organised the press conference marking his visit to Bangladesh. Noting that reform initiatives are underway in different sectors, Valérian said it is too early to predict how the situation will unfold in the future. “Corruption still exists in Bangladesh, but it has decreased after the July uprising,” he added. PIB director suspended over corruption allegations TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said some preventive measures have been taken against money laundering, particularly through loan mechanisms, which have somewhat reduced the outflow. He mentioned banking sector reforms but emphasised that money laundering continues and that prevention should be prioritised, as recovering laundered money is very difficult. According to Dr Iftekharuzzaman, the amount laundered in recent years exceeded more than twice the volume of foreign aid and investment Bangladesh received annually. He said curbing the practice and recovering stolen assets remain essential, citing some success such as the freezing of assets in the United Kingdom. François Valérian arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday for a three-day visit and this is his first trip to Bangladesh since being elected Chair of TI’s International Board in 2023. During the visit, he met TIB officials, presidents of 45 district-based Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCC), leaders of 65 Youth Engagement and Support (YES) platforms, as well as stakeholders from government and non-government sectors, civil society representatives and media professionals. Witnesses start testifying against ousted PM Hasina, family members in Purbachal plot corruption cases A noted academic and researcher, Valérian has been serving at TI’s International Board since 2019 and contributed to several key committees before being elected Chair.