ACC Assistant Director Abul Kalam Azad submitted the petition on Wednesday at the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court

UNB

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday filed a petition seeking to show former army officer and former Member of Parliament Masud Uddin Chowdhury arrested in a case over alleged embezzlement of Tk 119 crore by sending workers to Malaysia.

ACC Assistant Director Abul Kalam Azad submitted the petition on Wednesday at the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court. Acting Judge Moinuddin Chowdhury fixed April 9 for hearing on the matter and ordered that the accused be produced before the court on that day.

ACC Assistant Director Aminul Islam confirmed the development.

According to the petition, Masud Uddin Chowdhury and others allegedly conspired together, abusing government authority with dishonest intent and committing criminal breach of trust.

The accused were appointed as agents to recruit workers for Malaysia at the government-fixed cost of Tk 78,990 per worker. However, the petition states that they allegedly hatched a criminal conspiracy by using the influence of a ruling party MP to collect extra money from the recruited workers through various stages.

They are also accused of engaging in activities beyond the contract and receiving illegal gratification as public servants apart from the legally agreed remuneration.

According to the ACC, the accused embezzled a total of Tk 119 crore and 32 lakh by taking extra money from 7,124 workers sent to Malaysia, including additional charges for passports, medical tests and other fees beyond the government-fixed amount.