While uneducated people send remittance, educated ones smuggle it abroad: ACC commissioner

English News Desk : While many uneducated Bangladeshis are working as expatriate workers and sending remittances, some educated people are smuggling money abroad, said Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Commissioner (Investigation) Md Zahirul Haque today in Cox’s Bazar today.

“Our country is very strange. Here uneducated people go abroad and work very hard to send money from abroad. Our remittances increase. Meanwhile, educated people loot the country’s money and smuggle money abroad. The money is deposited in a Swiss bank,” ACC Commissioner Md Zahirul Haque said speaking at a public hearing held at Shaheed Subhash Hall of Cox’s Bazar Public Library on Wednesday (11 October).

“This money will not be of any use after the death of the person in which the money is deposited in the bank. Because the Swiss bank will not return the money if the heirs cannot provide a legitimate source of income after the person’s death,” he added.

He also said such corrupt people should be openly condemned.

“The ACC does not deal with all corruption cases. Most of the complaints that the ACC takes into account are related to government institutions. Apart from this, the agency also probes money laundering. So far, we have achieved 70% success in corruption cases and 100% in money laundering cases,” he added.

Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Shaheen Imran presided over the public hearing.

ACC Director General (Prevention) Aktar Hossain, Cox’s Bazar Police Superintendent Mahfuzul Islam and Jasim Uddin Bakul, general secretary of the district branch of the anti-corruption committee also spoke at the event.

During the public hearing, many complaints against Cox’s Bazar district administration, especially the land acquisition department were heard.

A total of 69 people came up on the stage and presented various complaints of harassment, irregularity, and corruption. Accused officials gave explanations during the public hearing.

Drawing the attention of the ACC Commissioner, Cox’s Bazar DC said that there have been some cases of corruption in the land acquisition department.

He said all necessary steps are being taken to ensure transparency and accountability in the disbursement of compensation money.

ACC Commissioner Zahirul Haque called for more vigilance over the matter.