The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed two separate cases against former Customs Bond Commissionerate Superintendent Md Idris and his wife, Fakhre Jahan Begum, over allegations that they acquired assets disproportionate to their known sources of income.
The cases involve unexplained assets worth Tk36,11,569 in Idris’s name and Tk3,15,51,592 in his wife’s name. Idris has also been accused of facilitating his wife’s acquisition of assets beyond her known sources of income.
ACC Deputy Assistant Director Marine Akter filed the cases at the commission’s Chattogram District Office-1 today (2 November).
The first case was filed against Idris under the relevant provisions of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, while the second names both Idris and his wife.
ACC Chattogram District-1 Deputy Director Md Alamgir confirmed the development to The Business Standard.
According to the case statements, Idris, 74, is a former superintendent at the Chattogram regional office of the Customs Bond Commissionerate. His village home is in Motua village of Chhagalnaiya upazila in Feni, while he currently resides at the Equity Lavinia building in the city’s Mehedibagh area.
The first case statement says the ACC investigation uncovered immovable assets worth Tk3.37 lakh and movable assets worth Tk1,28,78,549 in Idris’s name, bringing his total assets to Tk1,32,15,549.
His income tax returns for the 1981–82 to 2023–24 tax years showed a total declared income of Tk1,93,29,809.
However, the ACC identified Tk42,17,660 in salary and allowances, Tk5,57,783 from agriculture, Tk31,72,000 in pension, Tk26,28,170 in bank and deposit interest, and Tk46,78,350 from land sales as income from acceptable sources.
His total acceptable income over the period stood at Tk1,52,53,963. After deducting family expenses of Tk56,49,983, his net acceptable income was calculated at Tk96,03,980.
Against this amount, he held assets worth Tk1,32,15,549, leaving Tk36,11,569 in assets that could not be reconciled with his known sources of income, the case statement said.
The second case alleges that Fakhre Jahan Begum, 65, acquired assets worth Tk3,15,51,592 beyond her known sources of income.
The ACC found immovable assets worth Tk2,61,61,700 and movable assets worth Tk16,84,303 in her name, taking the total value of her assets to Tk2,78,46,003.
Her income tax returns for the 1998–99 to 2023–24 tax years showed total declared income of Tk57,66,467. During the same period, her family and other expenses amounted to Tk42,26,589, bringing the combined value of her assets and expenses to Tk3,20,72,592.
However, the ACC recognised only Tk5,21,000 as income from acceptable sources. This comprised Tk3,61,000 from house property and Tk1,60,000 from the sale of bricks, iron and other materials salvaged from an old building.
The resulting discrepancy between her assets and expenses and her acceptable income amounted to Tk3,15,51,592, according to the case statement.
The ACC alleged that Idris had accumulated assets in his wife’s name using money obtained through dishonest means while serving as a government employee.
It further accused him of conspiring with his wife to acquire the assets in her name, thereby concealing his alleged illicit wealth and giving the proceeds an appearance of legitimacy.
The commission said its investigation covered alleged asset acquisitions between 1980 and 2024.
The cases were filed following approval from the ACC headquarters on 17 October.
The commission said further investigations would be conducted and that anyone else found to have been involved in the alleged offences would also be brought to justice.
About The Author
