Tk 1,300cr loan scam of Ananda Shipyard

The Anti-Corruption Commission has received the loan related documents of Adanda Shipyard from most of the banks and financial institutions from which the company allegedly embezzled Tk 1,300 crore providing fake documents, sources said.
These banks and financial institutions also sanctioned the money to Ananda Shipyard, a local ship exporter, violating banking rules and regulation.  
“Recently, we have received the loan disbursement documents from most of the banks and financial institutions and those are yet to submit documents sought more time to provide the same,” a senior ACC official told The New Nation yesterday on condition of anonymity.
He said, the ACC earlier served notice to the banks and financial institutions for sending the loan related documents for its scrutiny.
Earlier, the anti-graft body, receiving complaints from Bangladesh Bank’s (BB) Financial Integrity and Customer Services, launched an inquiry against Ananda Shipyard. ACC’s Senior Deputy Director Mir Mohammad Joynal Abedin Shibli is looking into the matter.
BB in its inspections also found such irregularities in disbursing loans of the banks and financial institutes.
When asked, the ACC official said, the inquiry is now at primary level and it would take more time to come to a conclusion whether the company was involved in the loan scandal or not.
According to him, Ananda Shipyard allegedly swindled fund from seven commercial banks and seven leasing companies.
Ananda Shipyard took loan of Tk 456.34 crore from Islami Bank while about Tk 187 crore from Arab-Bangladesh Bank Limited, Tk 221.2 crore from Mercantile Bank, Tk 114.21 crore from One Bank, Tk 238 crore from Janata Bank, Tk 24 crore from Bangladesh Development Bank and Tk 15.14 crore from NCC Bank.
It also took loans of Tk 1.93 crore from Bangladesh Industrial Finance Company (BIFCL), Tk 23.18 crore from Phoenix Finance and Development Limited, Tk 11.75 crore from Fareast Finance and Development Limited, Tk 3.72 crore from IDLC, Tk 2.92 crore from Housing Finance and Investment Limited, Tk 3.92 crore from Haj Finance Company Limited and Tk 3 crore from Premier Leasing and Finance Limited.
These banks and financial institutes gave loans to Ananda Shipyard against adequate guarantees, sources said.
The primary investigation carried out by BB found the authorities of the banks and the financial institutions were responsible for the loan scam.
 On April 24 last, the anti-graft body sent letters to the heads of the banks and financial institutes seeking documents related to the graft allegation. It also sent a letter to BB asking it to send the inspection report of the central bank.