Over 300 secret lockers found in Bangladesh Bank; raids loom

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to open over 300 secret lockers registered under the names of Bangladesh Bank officials in the presence of magistrates, the central bank confirmed on Wednesday.

This revelation has sent former and current corrupt officials of the central bank into a state of anxiety about their future.

These officials had kept valuables, including gold and foreign currencies, in these lockers, believing them to be secure under legal protection.

The ACC recently obtained court approval to open these lockers, as they suspect significant assets are being stored within, according to sources.

The ACC has also sent official letters to the relevant departments within Bangladesh Bank, requesting cooperation in opening the lockers.

Earlier, the ACC uncovered more than 300 secret lockers used to store the money and assets of bank officials in the security vault at Bangladesh Bank.

These lockers were reportedly linked to current and former senior VIP officials.

When contacted, ACC Director Kazi Sayemuzzaman, head of the investigation department, told UNB that an application was made to the court seeking permission to open the lockers belonging to certain Bangladesh Bank officials at the Motijheel branch, in the presence of an executive magistrate.

The court granted approval after reviewing the documents submitted, ensuring a fair investigation process.

Another senior ACC official, speaking anonymously, revealed that for some time, the names of certain deputy governors of Bangladesh Bank had been linked to allegations of bank-related scams.

During the operation, more than Tk5 crore worth of local and foreign currencies, as well as gold ornaments, were discovered in the secret lockers of former deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury. As a result, the ACC uncovered details of more than 300 lockers registered under the names of officials, many of whom had been implicated in various scandals, including the reserve theft.

The ACC official added, “That is why the ACC feels that it is necessary to conduct a search operation. We believe that a thorough search will yield sensational revelations that the public could never have imagined.”

ACC Director General Md Akhter Hossain further elaborated that during the investigation into former deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury for accumulating assets beyond known income, a significant amount of foreign currency and gold ornaments were found in his locker.

The investigation revealed that several other Bangladesh Bank officials also had secret lockers. The ACC team deemed it necessary to search these lockers and sought legal permission to proceed.

The ACC team has since obtained court approval to take legal action. They are now prepared to conduct searches in any bank in Bangladesh, should the investigation require it, according to the sources.