ACC initiates inquiry into 459 Bangladeshis owning property in Dubai

 

Live Correspondent: The Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday initiated an inquiry into the allegation that 459 Bangladeshi nationals bought properties in Dubai illegally.

The commission constituted a four-member probe committee, ACC public relations officer Muhammad Arif Sadek told reporters.

He said that the team is comprised of a director and three deputy directors who are acting on a High Court order.

About the matter, ACC commissioner Md Jahurul Haque told reporters that the inquiry will be conducted thorough fact-checking.

‘We will not exempt anyone if money is smuggled out of the country,’ he added.

Earlier on January 16, the HC ordered the authorities concerned to investigate the allegation after a preliminary hearing on a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Subir Nandi Das.

The HC asked the commission, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department of police to submit a report within 30 days.

The HC bench consisting of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat Liju gave the order.

While hearing the writ petition on the issue last year, the HC bench said: ‘It is unfortunate if it [the ACC] fails to stop money laundering. Please, comply with our directives to prevent money laundering. The people of Bangladesh are brilliant and hard-working. If corruption can be eradicated, the golden Bangla that Bangabandhu dreamt of can be established.’

In May, 2022, a US-based non-profit organisation Center for Advanced Defense Studies published a research paper, highlighting that Bangladeshis bought housing assets with money that was laundered mainly in Gulf countries.

According to the report, 459 Bangladeshis owned a total of 972 residential properties in Dubai at a cost of $315 million.

Of these assets, 64 are located in the elite Dubai Marina area, and 19 in Palm Jumeirah.

Without mentioning names, the report said that at least 100 villas and less than five buildings are said to be owned by Bangladeshis in these locations. Besides, 4-5 Bangladeshis own properties worth about $44 million there.

Dhaka, 10 April (campuslive24.com)//BIT

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