Allegations Over Bank Loans Probed

During a parliamentary session, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed raised a series of allegations concerning banking loans, corporate financing, and the use of institutional funds, stating that several cases are currently expected to be investigated.

Speaking on Tuesday (9 June) during the second (budget) session of the 13th National Parliament, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, the minister referred to a loan issued from Islami Bank to Nabil Group. He stated that Nabil Group had taken a loan of 700 crore taka against letters of credit (LCs), which was not subsequently repaid after goods were sold.

He further alleged that, according to “certain people,” the unpaid funds may have been diverted into an election fund of a political party, and that the same money was used to establish a television channel. He added that the bank’s overall liability stands at 16,000 crore taka, and the channel’s political alignment is already known.

The minister also referred to Lantabur Group, stating that a 40 crore taka loan had been granted prior to an election without approval from the head office, and that there had been no satisfactory explanation regarding this transaction. He confirmed that these matters would also be investigated.

In addition, Salahuddin Ahmed highlighted alleged irregularities involving corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds. He stated that CSR allocations were reportedly misused for purchasing airline tickets from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar, and noted that such incidents had already been reported in the media. He said these issues would also come under investigation.

Referring to Islami Bank’s Rural Development Scheme (RDS), the minister suggested that the programme had been used as a significant financing channel. Without naming any party directly, he indicated that the scheme had reportedly been used in political contexts ahead of elections. He stated that large sums had been distributed through this programme over time.

He added that under the RDS initiative, a total of 22,000 crore taka had been disbursed. According to his remarks, 11,000 crore taka had been allocated previously, and an additional 11,000 crore taka was distributed after 5 August, which he linked to efforts aimed at strengthening electoral positioning.

He also claimed that, prior to elections, many women were provided with 10,000 taka each under certain arrangements linked to the programme. He quoted a field-level worker as saying:

“Mother, where did you cast your vote? It was said that this is the party of the Quran; if you do not vote for them, you will not be able to go to heaven. They also gave 10,000 taka. They said this will be forgiven. Another 10,000 taka will be given later. In this way, as a bonus, voting for the ‘balance scale’ symbol was promised to guarantee entry into heaven.”

Summary of key financial allegations