CID to probe Sr Secy, ex-ACC chiefs

A Dhaka court has directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate a case filed against Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Mokhlesur Rahman and three former chairmen of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for allegedly fabricating false cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ziadur Rahman issued the order on Sunday (May 25) after recording the complainant's statement. The case was lodged on May 18 by Harun-ur-Rashid.

The accused include former ACC chairmen Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury, Habibur Rahman, and Abul Hasan Manzur.

According to the complaint, a weekly newspaper published a report on March 17 titled "How ACC's Former Secretary Mokhles, the Mastermind of the Orphanage Trust Case Against Khaleda Zia, Is Still a Secretary." 

The complainant claimed he came across the article while visiting Rabindra Sarobar in Dhanmondi later that evening. 

The report allegedly revealed a conspiracy behind the legal actions taken against Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, and others, leading to their political victimization and imprisonment.

The complainant also alleged that the accused were responsible for weakening democratic institutions and violating human rights, citing incidents of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and politically motivated cases during a previous authoritarian regime.

He identified himself as a victim of that period's political repression.