ACC to probe GM Quader over allegations of nomination business

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to put Jatiya Party Chairman Ghulam Muhammed Quader under the scanner over allegations of acquiring illegal wealth and money laundering using nomination trade.

Md Akhtar Hossain, director of the ACC (prevention), on Thursday said the decision to probe Ghulam was made based on a tip-off from the Detective Branch.

The allegations against Quader include: After the 11th parliamentary elections in 2018, he was the main beneficiary of receiving a bribe of Tk 181 million for party nominations in reserved parliamentary women's seats. He was the acting chairman of the party at the time.

Late Prof Masuda M Rashid Chowdhury was suspended from her position after failing to pay off the money owed to her, while Ghulam’s wife Sharifa Quader became MP.

Allegedly, Quader became the chairman of the party through fraud and amassed huge wealth through trading positions in the party and nominations, later laundering the money.

The central committee of the party consists of 301 members, but it currently includes 600 to 650 people. It is a proof of position trading.

According to the affidavit submitted for the 12th general election in 2024, Quader had Tk 4.98 million in cash to his name, Tk 3.59 million in back accounts and a jeep worth Tk 8.49 million.

And to his wife’s name, another Tk 5.95 million in cash, TK 2.8 million in bank accounts and a jeep worth Tk 8 million. His assets include land and flats in Lalmonirhat and Dhaka.

ACC chief Akhtar said Quader laundered money to different countries including Singapore, England, Australia and they have “sufficient evidence” supporting the allegations.

Quader was not available for comment.

He was first elected an MP in 1996 and played his role in the opposing party in parliament. He was the civil aviation and tourism minister and the commerce minister from 2009 to 2014.

After the shift in the political paradigm following the fall of the Awami League government, Quader was not seen much in public.

On Wednesday, he attended an Iftar organised by Dhaka Metropolitan North Jatiya Party at Kafrul.

Condemning attacks by a group of people there, he said: “The current [interim] government has completely failed to provide security to the lives and property of the common people. The swift departure of this government is good for the country and the nation.”