Ananda Shipyard scam ACC grills 7 IBBL officials

UNB, Dhaka :The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday interrogated seven officials of Islami Bank BangladeshLimited (IBBL) in connection with the allegation of embezzlement of nearly Tk 1,300 crore by Ananda Shipyard.An ACC team, led by its deputy director Zainul Abedin Shebly, questioned them for nearly six hours from 10 am at the ACC head office, ACC public relations officer Pranab Kumar Bhattacharya told UNB.The IBBL officials, interrogated by ACC, were suspended executive vice president Nurul Islam; vice presidents Kazi Moinuddin Khadem, Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan and Alimur Rahman; and assistant vice presidents Musleh Uddin, Monir Hossain and Abul Kalam Azad.The ACC will also question six other officials of IBBL today (Thursday), said Shebly.In April 2014, the ACC initiated a probe into the allegation of swindling of about Tk 1,300 crore from 14 commercial banks and financial institutions by Ananda Shipyard, manufacturer and exporter of ship.According to the graft allegation, Ananda Shipyard took loans of Tk 1,300 crore from 14 commercial banks and financial institutions showing fake documents. The banks disbursed the loans violating banking rules when Ananda Shipyard had no experience of building ships.The Bangladesh Bank in its inspections also found such irregularities in disbursing loans by the banks and financial institutions.