The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has received permission to open the lockers of former and current Bangladesh Bank officials. Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md. Zakir Hossain granted the permission.
The court order said that Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mehedi Hasan has been appointed to assist the investigating officer in opening the flexible lockers of Bangladesh Bank officials in the presence of the Judicial Magistrate and taking an inventory of the items found.
On Tuesday (February 4) afternoon, ACC Director General (Prevention) Md. Akhter Hossain told reporters that steps will be taken with the court's permission to open the lockers of other officials at Bangladesh Bank. Initially, it is believed that there may be illegal assets in the lockers of other officials as well.
He said that the ACC will also conduct raids in the lockers of other banks if it receives information about known undeclared assets.
Earlier, the ACC wrote to the governor to take necessary measures to temporarily block all personal lockers used by officials to store money and assets in the security vault of Bangladesh Bank. After receiving the letter, a decision was made to freeze all lockers of former and current officials stored in the bank, according to Bangladesh Bank sources. According to the source, no assets are currently being allowed to be kept in the lockers. At the same time, no assets are being allowed to be taken out.
Stating that the ACC's investigation into various allegations, including money laundering, against officials at various levels of Bangladesh Bank, the letter said that the assets stored in the vault of Bangladesh Bank were discussed in a discussion between the Finance Adviser and the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission from 3 pm to 4 pm on January 30. The Finance Adviser agreed to temporarily freeze the assets stored in the vault.