ACC inventories Ziaul Ahsan’s house in Dhaka

The operation was led by ACC Deputy Director Md Hafizul Islam

An Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) team on Monday began cataloguing assets at a house owned by Maj Gen (relieved) Ziaul Ahsan in Dhaka’s Jalshiri residential area as part of an ongoing investigation.

The inventory includes documenting movable and immovable assets found on the premises and collecting relevant information for the investigation. ACC spokesperson Tanzir Ahmed confirmed this to reporters today.

He said, a team led by its Deputy Director Md Hafizul Islam carried out the operation at the property in Rupganj, Narayanganj, this morning. Officials are currently preparing an inventory of the items found at the residence for seizure.

On 7 January, following an application by the ACC, Ziaul Ahsan was shown arrested in a lawsuit concerning the acquisition of assets beyond his known sources of income.

Earlier, in the early hours of 17 August 2024, the former army officer was arrested from the Khilkhet area of the capital. He was j?uu shown arrested in a murder case filed with New Market police station in connection with the mass uprising. He has remained in custody ever since.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), Ziaul Ahsan abused his authority to acquire assets worth Tk 222.778 million beyond his known sources of income. He is also alleged to have deposited US$55,000 going beyond his legally authorised limit.

Furthermore, he is accused of making substantial deposits and withdrawals through various bank accounts and, in collusion with his wife, Nusrat Jahan, transferring, conveying and converting those funds in the names of different individuals and entities.

The FIR further alleges that approximately Tk 1.2 billion in unusual transactions passed through eight bank accounts held in his name.

The FIR also states that, by virtue of his position as a senior army officer, he abused both his office and the authority vested in him, thereby committing offences punishable under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, the Penal Code, the Money Laundering Prevention Act, and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Ziaul Ahsan most recently served as the Director General of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), Bangladesh's national telecommunications surveillance agency.

He was regarded as one of the most prominent and influential officials during the 15-year tenure of the Sheikh Hasina government. On 6 August, the day after the Awami League government’s fall, he was relieved of his duties.

The development came a day after the ACC inventoried hundreds of clothing items, luxury watch boxes, jewellery and household furnishings during the first day of a court-ordered operation at two Gulshan flats owned by former land minister Saifuzzaman Chow০officials catalogued 300 coats, 532 ties, eight watch boxes—including four Rolex boxes—three sets of pearl jewellery, four chandeliers, a bed, a sofa and 100 sets of kameez.

The inventory was prepared as part of the ACC’s investigation into allegations of illicit wealth against Saifuzzaman.