ACC to sue Putul, 34 others in Tk 4.48b graft case
Published: 02 September 2025, 2:04:39
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved a case against Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and 34 others on charges of large-scale bribery, embezzlement, and tax evasion involving the Suchona Foundation.
ACC Director General Md Akhter Hossain confirmed the decision to reporters on Monday, saying the case was cleared for filing following a detailed investigation.
According to the complaint, the accused set up Suchona Foundation as a paper-based entity, securing registration from the NGO Affairs Bureau and the Department of Social Services. Under the guise of soliciting donations, they allegedly collected money from businesses and individuals in exchange for illegal benefits. Instead of using the funds for welfare projects for disabled persons as claimed, Tk 448 crore was embezzled.
The list of accused includes Suchona Foundation trustee Saima Wazed, Prof Mazharul Mannan, former Bangladesh Cricket Board president Nazmul Hassan Papon, Saifullah Abdullah Solenkhi, Jan Bari Rizvi, Vice-Chairman Prof Pran Gopal Datta, and Executive Committee members Mehraj Jahan, Prof Ruhul Haque, Shirin Zaman Munir, and Helaluddin Ahmed.
Several leading businessmen are also named. They include Hamid Real Estate Chairman Enthekhabul Hamid, former minister Nurul Islam, Beximco Vice-Chairman and former MP Salman F Rahman, Summit Group Chairman Mohammad Aziz Khan, ex-MP AKM Rahmatullah, United Group Chairman Moinuddin Hasan Rashid, Meghna Group Chairman Mostafa Kamal, and Bill Trade Engineering Ltd Chairman Enayetur Rahman.
The ACC said that National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials were also implicated for abusing their authority by granting the foundation unlawful tax exemptions worth nearly Tk 100 crore. Former NBR chairman Md Nojibur Rahman and at least 15 officials have been accused of collusion, misconduct, and breach of trust.
The complaint further alleges that Suchona Foundation evaded Tk 990 crore in taxes between the 2015–16 and 2024–25 fiscal years through forgery and fraudulent declarations. Investigators also flagged suspicious transactions of Tk 930 crore across 14 bank accounts linked to the foundation.
The case, once filed, will mark one of the largest graft charges brought forward by the ACC in recent years, involving both high-profile political figures and prominent members of the business community.
