What action taken against Biman CBA leaders defying ACC notice: HC

The High Court has directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to inform it about action taken against 17 Biman Bangladesh Airlines' CBA leaders who did not appear despite being summoned for interrogation by the Commission over corruption charges.

The ACC has been directed to inform the HC within seven days about the notice issued in 2014.

A virtual HC bench comprising of Justices Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Mahi Uddin Shamim passed the order on Thursday.

During the hearing, Advocate Manzil Morshed moved for the writ petitioner and Advocate MA Aziz Khan represented the ACC while Deputy Attorney General AKM Aminuddin Manik represented the state.

According to Manzil Morshed, in January 2014, the ACC issued a notice to investigate corruption against 17 CBA leaders of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. They are Mosikur Rahman, Azaharul Imam Majumdar, Anwar Hossain, Md Yunus Khan, Md Montasar Rahman, Md Rubel Chowdhury, Md Rafiqul Alam, Md Atiqur Rahman, Md Harunar Rashid, Abdul Bari, Md Firozul Islam, Md Abdus Sobhan, Golam Kaiser Ahmed, Md Abdul Jabbar and Md Abdul Aziz. However, they refused to appear. According to media reports, no further action has been taken by the ACC in this regard.

"Attaching the reports as supporting evidence, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh filed a writ petition the same year. In response, the HC then issued a rule seeking an explanation as why the ACC's inactivity should not be declared illegal," he added.

Manzil Morshed said that hearing on the rule was scheduled on Thursday. According to ACC law, if a person does not respond to a notice, punitive action is meant to be taken against him. However, action has yet to be taken.

"The rule of law is jeopardized if action is not taken against the CBA leaders, merely because they are influential. ACC's inaction is not acceptable in the eyes of the law. They have yet to file a response in this regard," he added.