The High Court on Tuesday asked to know the progress of the corruption case filed against 15 AB Bank officials over embezzling Tk 176.18 crore.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order and asked the Chairman of Anti-Corruption Commission, Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Additional Superintendent of Police to appear before the court on June 26 and provide an update.

Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan stood for ACC while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state.

In June 2021, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged a complaint against 17 officials of AB Bank, on corruption charges and embezzlement of money.

Deputy Director ( Public Relation) of ACC Muhammad Arif Sadeq told UNB that from 2014 to 2017, these officials worked together to prepare work orders by abusing their power for fraudulent purposes.

They withdrew Tk 176 crore using these fake documents and by giving seven illegal bank guarantees without the approval of the office was embezzled too.

Of the accused two AB Bank officials named Shahidul Islam and Abdur Rahim were sent to jail as they surrendered before the court. They also filed a leave-to-appeal petition.

On December 7, the High Court issued a rule challenging the bail of the two AB Bank officials. It also asked the authorities concerned to arrest the other accused within seven days.

The court also imposed a travel ban on the other 15 officials including its two former managing directors (MDs), Mashiur Rahman Chowdhury and Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury, in the money laundering case.

The others are: proprietor of Ershad Brothers Corporation Ershad Ali, former Exrcutive Vice- President (EVP) and branch manager (now retired) of AB Bank ABM Abdus Sattar, former AVP and Relationship Manager Abdur Rahim, SVP and former Relationship Manager Anisur Rahman, AVP Ruhul Amin, EVP and Head of CRM at head office Wasika Afrazi, former VP Mufti Mustafizur Rahman, former SE VP and head of CRM (now retired) Salma Akhter, AVP OCRM Member of Head Office Mohammad Emarat Hassan Fakir, former Principal Officer, AB Bank (currently Principal Officer of Mutual Trust Bank) Touhidul Islam, member of SVP and CRM of AB Bank Shamim-e-Morshed, member of VP and CRM of the same bank at head Office Khandaker Rashed Anowar, member of AVP and CRM Sirajul Islam, VP and Member of Credit Committee of AB Bank Mohammad Mahfuz-ul-Islam.

Of them, Ershad Ali and Abdus Sattar are in jail now while the 13 others remained absconding.