The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday asked the High Court to dispose of within one month a rule issued over corruption and money laundering allegations against the Managing Director of the National Bank and its board of directors.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the National Bank authorities against an HC order that asked for a probe into the allegations and issued the rule.
The apex court, at the same time, refused to stay the High Court order that asked the authorities concerned to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of corruption and money laundering by the members of the board of directors of the National Bank Limited using international credit cards.
Following a writ petition, a High Court bench on December 13 in 2020 directed the concerned bodies of the government to probe into the allegations of corruption and money laundering by the members of the board of directors of the National Bank Limited using international credit cards.
Bangladesh Bank Governor, Bangladesh Financial Intelligent Unit (BFIU), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) have been asked to comply with the direction and submit a report in the court on January 15 in 2023.
It also issued a rule upon the respondents to explain as to why they should not be directed to take appropriate legal action against the Managing Director of the National Bank and its board of directors for their involvement with corruption and money laundering using credit cards.
Later the National Bank authorities filed a petition with the Appellate Division seeking stay on the High Court order. Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division on December 28 sent the matter to the regular bench of the apex court for detail hearing, which came to the cause-list on Monday.
Lawyers Shah Monjurul Hoque and Muhammad Harunur Rashid Khan appeared in the court hearing on behalf of the National Bank Limited.
Later Mr Harunur Rashid Khan said, “The Appellate Division asked the HC to dispose of the rule within one month. In this sense the government agencies can now conduct inquiry to the allegations complying with the HC order. However, we will take initiatives for rule hearing within the SC fixed time frame.”
Chowdhury Hasan Muhammad Abdullah, a Supreme Court lawyer and also a shareholder of the National Bank, on December 11 last year filed the writ petition.
