Corruption allegation: HC wants to know of ACC steps taken against 17 CBA leaders of Biman

The High Court today wanted to know what steps have been taken against 17 CBA leaders of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, who refused to appear before the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in response to notices issued by the commission, asking them to appear before its office in connection with corruption allegations in 2014.

The court asked the ACC to submit a report before it on the steps taken against 17 Collective Bargaining Agency (CBA) leaders -- in seven days.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Mohi Uddin Shamim came up with the order during hearing a pending writ petition filed by the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) in 2014, seeking necessary order on the ACC to interrogate the CBA leaders.

The ACC had issued a notice on January 12, 2014 asking the 17 CBA leaders to appear before the commission office on January 17, 2014 for questioning them over the allegation of corruption against them, petitioner's lawyer Manzill Murshid told the HC.

But they refused to appear before the ACC office, he said.

Following the media reports on it, HRPB then filed the writ petition, Manzill Murshid added.

The 17 CBA leaders include Md Mosikur Rahman, Azhaul Imam Majumder, Anwar Hossain, Md Yunus Khan, Md Montasar Rahman, Md Rubel Chowdhury, Md Rafiqul Alam, Md Atiqur Rahman, Md Harun Or Rashid, Abdul Bari, Md Firozul Islam, Md Abdus Sobhan, Golam Kaiser Ahmed, Md Abdul Zabbar and Md Abdul Aziz.

Following the petition, the HC on February 10, 2014 issued a rule upon the ACC to explain why its inaction to quiz the CBA leaders should not be declared illegal.

The ACC is yet to take any action against the leaders after the HC issued the rule, Manzill Murshid told the HC bench today.

Lawyer MA Aziz Khan appeared for the ACC while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state during hearing.