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Tuesday | September 22, 2026 | Dhaka

ACC sued ex-health minister among 13 others

 Court Correspondent
 Published: 12:01 AM, 22 September 2026

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved six separate cases against 13 people, including former health minister Dr Zahid Maleque, over the alleged embezzlement of Tk 12.03 crore through irregularities in the procurement of medical and protective equipment during the Covid-19 pandemic.

ACC Secretary Mohammad Saidur Rahman Khan disclosed the approval of the cases to journalists on Monday, 21 September.

According to the allegations in the approved cases, the ACC found irregularities in six packages under the “Covid-19 Emergency Response and Pandemic Preparedness (ERPP)” project of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Following recommendations for filing separate cases based on six investigation reports, the commission approved the cases.

Apart from former health minister Zahid Maleque, the accused are Dr Md Iqbal Kabir, project director of the Covid-19 project; former additional director general of the DGHS Dr Sania Tahmina Jhora; Professor Dr Nasima Sultana; former assistant director Dr Md Shariful Hasan; Deputy Programme Manager Dr Anwar Sadat; and Medical Officer Dr Anirban Sarker.

The other accused are Kazi Shamimuzzaman, proprietor of Jadid Automobiles; Hosney Ibrahim, proprietor of E-Music; Raisul Kabir, proprietor of Brain Station 23 Ltd; Mohammad Jahangir Alam, proprietor of Insha Trade Corporation; Mostafa Monwar, managing partner of Sim Corporation; and Saifur Rahman, proprietor of SRS Design and Fashion Ltd.

The ACC alleged that the accused, in collusion with one another, embezzled government funds through abuse of power, criminal misconduct, breach of trust and fraud.

The cases have been approved under Sections 409, 420, 120B and 109 of the Penal Code and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

In the first approved case, eight people, including former health minister Zahid Maleque, have been named as accused. The case alleges that Tk 3.47 crore was embezzled in the procurement of KN95 and AN95 masks and hand gloves under Package GD-01 of the ERPP project.

Besides Zahid Maleque, the accused in the case are Professor Dr Md Iqbal Kabir, Dr Sania Tahmina Jhora, Professor Dr Nasima Sultana, Kazi Shamimuzzaman, Dr Md Shariful Hasan, Dr Mohammad Anwar Sadat and Dr Anirban Sarker.