Staff Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday interrogated renowned economist and former Janata Bank chairman Abul Barkat over his alleged involvement in a Tk 297 crore loan embezzlement scheme.
A team led by ACC Assistant Director Shahjahan Miraz brought Barkat to the commission’s headquarters in Segunbagicha around 1:45pm from Dhaka Central Jail to begin the first day of his two-day remand, ACC officials confirmed.
On 23 July, the ACC sought a three-day remand to question Barkat in connection with the case, but the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka granted a two-day remand instead.
The case centres on allegations of misappropriation of more than Tk 297 crore in loans disbursed under the name of the business entity ‘Annontex’.
In February this year, the ACC filed the case against 23 people, naming Barkat and former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman among the accused.
Detectives from Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Barkat from his Dhanmondi residence on 10 July and later produced him before the court, which subsequently sent him to jail pending further proceedings.
