ACC sues BNP leader Amir Khasru, family

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Monday sued BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and four others on charges of corruption related to the construction of Hotel Sarina in Banani by breaching agreed terms and encroaching on another property.

ACC's Dhaka integrated district office-1 Deputy Director Selina Akhtar filed the case on Monday while Md Mahbub Hossain, secretary of the ACC, confirmed the matter to the media.

Apart from Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and his wife Tahera Khasru Alam, the other accused are – his brother-in-law Hotel Sarina Chairman Golam Sarwar, sister-in-law Managing Director Sabera Sarwar Neena and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Building Inspector (Design Approval department) Aurangzeb Nannu.

Md Mahbub Hossain said that, according to the case statement, in the name of developing Plot No. 27 on Road No. 17 in Banani, five-star Hotel Sarina was built by constructing a 22-storey and a 21-storey building after buying Plot No. 25 as well and not following the approved plan.

The accused have been charged under Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 (Act No. 2) along with Sections 409/109/467/468/471/420 of the Penal Code.

An ACC official also said that the former Chattogram Stock Exchange President Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and his wife Tahera Khasru Alam were the shareholders of the Sarina Hotel and both hid the information. 

According to the inquiry report prior filing the case, ACC officials found that 27 no plot of Banani Commercial Area had been sold in auction against the CSE when Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury was the first president in its chair.  In 1999, CSE appointed Amir Khasur's brother-in law Golam Sarwar to construct the building in conditions of giving four floors and basement to the CSE. And ACC claimed that the appointment was illegal as Golam Sarwar's constructing farm had no registration till then.

Later, Amir Khasru, Tahera Khasru, Golam Sarwar and Sabera Sarwar in collusion allegedly constructed 22-storeys building on that plot defying CSE board of directors meeting decisions.

The ACC also claimed that Amir Khasru's family had taken all other floors except four for the CSE. 

Amir Khasru and his brother-in law Golam Sarwar jointly also bought Banani 17 road's 25 number plot. While RAJUK permitted them a 15-storeys building, they built the 21-storey Basati Tower building, going against the original design. 

ACC inquiry reports also claimed that being a member of parliament, CSE president and former commerce minister, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury appointed his relatives as developer and later joined hands to swindle the land.