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9 months ago

Unchecked high-level power abuse creating Frankenstein-like figures: TIB

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The unchecked misuse of power by individuals in high-ranking positions is not only alarming but also reminiscent of creating Frankenstein-like figures such as Benazir, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has said.

Raising serious alarms over the revelations surrounding the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) and RAB chief, who allegedly amassed a substantial amount of illegal wealth and property through the misuse of their state-granted authority, the TIB has called for decisive legal action against those aiding and shielding such abuses of power.

The anti-corruption organisation has demanded fair compensation for individuals who were coerced by the former police chief into forcibly selling their land, according to a TIB statement issued on Monday.

Information on wealth and property accumulation by the former police chief is surfacing regularly, and the media has reported that most of this wealth and property were grabbed by the former police chief by using fear tactics, or he had taken the real owners hostage to force them to sell their land.
 
In many cases, the owners of these lands were minorities. To carry this out, the former police chief arbitrarily employed personnel from his own agency and other state-run agencies, TIB said. 
 
"Allegations that the properties were forcibly acquired through intimidation using the former IGP’s name and his family members and the collusion of law enforcement and government agency personnel in carrying out these tasks is truly horrific. Any chance of the victims getting justice for his crimes has also been forcefully blocked," TIB Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said, terming such abuse of power by the top-ranking officer of a law enforcement agency as outrageous.  
 
"Under such circumstances, there is no alternative to ensuring exemplary punishment for the main accused and the colluders and to compensating those who were forced to sell their properties out of fear of the former police chief," he said.
 
While investigations into the former IGP's alleged corruption and amassed wealth are ongoing, with new information about his wealth surfacing regularly, Dr Iftekharuzzaman questioned how Benazir Ahmed and his family were able to flee the country amid such serious allegations.
 
"Media reports indicate that the former police chief, accused of corruption, fled the country after withdrawing a substantial amount of money from the banks," he said. 
 
The TIB Executive Director further emphasised, "It is unacceptable that the former police chief went unnoticed by the government, especially when he set a shocking precedent by openly engaging in corruption and amassing substantial wealth."
 

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