The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has quizzed Awami League leader Noor-ur-Rashid alias Ejaz Chowdhury over his alleged involvement in illegal casinos, extortion and drug trade.
An ACC team led by Chairman Iqbal Mahmood grilled him for six hours on Tuesday (Jan 21).
Ejaz is reportedly the personal assistant of Whip Shamsul Haque, is the ruling party’s Patia Upazila unit’s general secretary in Chattogram.
He has been accused of earning Tk 50,000 everyday from five casinos in the Chattogram clubs.
He has also been accused of building his shopping mall in Chattogram with money generated from drug trade and extortion.
On May 18, 2012, RAB recovered 270,000 tablets of contraband yaba worth Tk 121.5 million from a storage unit belonging to Ejaz’s father. A case was filed against him but the HC issued a stay on the trial in 2016.
The graft watchdog said that the wealth of Ejaz’s father Abdul Malek, brother Sultan-ur-Rashid and wife Suraiya Akhter’s assets are being probed.
Speaking to journalist after being quizzed, Chowdhury denied being affiliated with the whip and said he “doesn’t even know what the gambling and casino trade is.”
ACC Secretary Mohammad Delwar Bakht said that he has been summoned over specific complaints.
On Sept 18 last year Rapid Action Battalion started a crackdown on the casinos across the country.
On Sept 21, a mobile court raided Chattogram’s Abahani Club where Whip Shamsul Haque is the secretary general. They found traces of casino being operated there and Ejaz Chowdhury’s name came up during the investigations.
A month later ACC imposed a travel ban on Haque as part of the investigation.