Money Laundering Case Filed Against Disgraced LGED Engineer

In a significant escalation of a high-profile corruption probe, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formally initiated a money laundering case against an Executive Engineer from the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). The legal action follows a dramatic discovery last year where nearly 3.7 million BDT in cash was found secreted away in the boot of a private car. The engineer, identified as Mohammad Sabiul Islam, was unable to provide a legitimate source or a satisfactory explanation for the substantial sum during a police search.

The case was officially filed this Monday at the ACC’s integrated district office in Rajshahi by Assistant Director Mohammad Ismail Hossain. Alongside the primary suspect, Sabiul Islam, the commission has named two accomplices—Bappi Kumar Das and his son, Rintu Kumar Das—as co-defendants for their alleged roles in facilitating the transport and concealment of the illicit funds.

Details of the Incident and Legal Provisions

The investigation traces back to 14 March 2023, in the Singra Upazila of Natore. Acting on a tip-off or routine suspicion, police intercepted a hired private car used by Sabiul Islam. Upon a thorough search of the vehicle, officers discovered 3,694,300 BDT hidden beneath the lining of the rear boot. The sheer volume of cash, lacking any supporting documentation or legal justification, immediately raised red flags, prompting the ACC to launch a formal inquiry into the engineer’s financial dealings.

According to the ACC’s findings, Sabiul Islam allegedly accumulated this wealth through the systematic abuse of power and various irregularities during his tenure as an Executive Engineer. The prosecution asserts that the money was being moved to conceal its nature, source, and ownership—classic hallmarks of a money laundering operation. The charges have been framed under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, specifically invoking sections that carry severe penalties for the illegal transfer and possession of proceeds derived from corruption.

Sabiul Islam, who previously served as the Executive Engineer for LGED in Gaibandha, is currently attached to the LGED headquarters in Agargaon. Sources within the department suggest that he has long been under a cloud of suspicion regarding administrative irregularities. The ACC is now preparing to interrogate the suspects and gather further documentary evidence to solidify the prosecution’s case, as the department continues its crackdown on institutional graft.