Khulna Correspondent: Dhaka, Aug-27,
The Anti-Corruption
Commission in Khulna filed a case against five individuals on Monday for
embezzling Tk 18 crore 50 lakh from the
corporate branch of Sonali Bank in Khulna.
Managing Director (MD)
of Star Sea Food Industries Limited Md Salauddin and the bank's godown keeper
A. Mannan was made the primary accused in the case.
The case, filed by the
ACC Deputy Director (Khulna) Md Shaon Miah, was registered in the Khulna Chief
Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Monday.
According to the case
statement, Star Sea Food Industries
Limited borrowed a total of Tk 18 crore 50 lakh from Sonali Bank.
The collateral against
this loan was the exportable shrimp kept in the company’s godown.
The bank appointed A.Mannan
Hawladar and supporting staff Rahim Babu for godown maintenance as long as the
company does not pay back their loan.
However, Managing
Director (MD) of Star Sea Food Industries Limited Md Salauddin in collusion
with Mannan sold all the exportable shrimps in the local market from July 15 to
August 10 of 2017.
The then deputy general
manager of the bank Abu Hossain Sheikh found out about the secret fish sale and
filed a case with the local police station at that time.
A. Mannan who is an
activist of ruling party affiliated organisation ‘Sramik League’ and president
of "Collective Bargaining Agent", (CDA, a trade union of working men)
allegedly influenced the law enforcement agencies using his connections with
the higher-ups.
Finally, the
investigative officers of police assigned in the case submitted a biased final
report stating that no anomalies were
found and the allegation of Sonali Bank
DGM was false.
According to sources,
Mannan even went as far as harassing and threatening Abu Hossain in many ways
for bringing the allegations.
But the tide started
turning when the Anti-Corruption Commission started investigating the incident.
After a thorough
investigation, the ACC team found evidence or so they said of irregularities
and finally filed a case on Tuesday accusing five people including Mannan and
Salauddin.
Confirming the matter,
Sheikh Shahidul Islam, the current DGM of Sonali Bank Khulna Corporate Branch
said that Mannan has already been suspended over the matter and others who were
made accused would follow him once they get a final copy of the case.
End/Dct/Corr/Sma/
