HC orders ACC to probe corruption allegations against BFF officials

The High Court (HC) has directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to conduct a probe into the corruption allegations against officials of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and report within four months.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order on Monday after hearing a writ regarding it.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned why their inaction to take proper action against the corruption of BFF officials would not be declared illegal. 

The youth and sports secretary, the Bangladesh Bank governor, the ACC chairman, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) chairman, and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman were asked to respond to the rule within four weeks.

Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Syed Syedul Haque Sumon on Sunday filed the writ petition, seeking HC directives regarding a probe into corruption allegations against BFF officials.

Earlier on 14 April, FIFA, the regulatory body of world football, imposed a two-year ban and financial penalty on BFF General Secretary Abu Nayeem Shohag for falsifying documents to justify payments with FIFA funds.

Later, BFF made a committee to probe the allegation against Shohag. 

The HC on Monday emphasised the need for an independent investigation, questioning the ability of BFF to impartially scrutinise its own alleged corrupt practices.

The court further said the ACC would probe all types of allegations including money laundering against BFF officials.

Earlier on 3 May, Barrister Sumon filed a plea to the ACC Chairman, seeking an investigation into corruption allegations against BFF officials. As the ACC did not respond to the plea, Suman moved the High Court.

Sumon alleged that due to the corruption of BFF President Kazi Salahuddin, Senior Vice President Abdus Salam Murshedy, and former General Secretary Shohag, there is no improvement in Bangladesh football. They must be brought to justice to save the football of the country.

"As corruption is done in the country, so, I pleaded to the ACC to investigate the corruption and bring the corrupt officials to justice," he added.