The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found evidence of looting in the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) project of Tk 855 crore against the close associates of the fallen Awami League government.
An ACC team inspected the ICT Tower in the capital's Agargaon yesterday to investigate looting allegations in the Tk 855 crore a2i project.
According to the ACC, it has found involvement of 14 individuals, who had given work orders to specific organizations repeatedly, given unnecessary work and embezzled state money.
Sources at the a2i said the fallen government had used the organization for political purposes. The involvement of ousted Sheikh Hasina’s ICT adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy and former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak is being searched in the corruption allegation.
The anti-graft body said a five-year project of Tk 855 crore was taken in 2020. Anir Chowdhury, who is the mastermind of all misdeeds in the ICT sector, led the project. He is familiar as a close aide of Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Raju Ahmed, an ACC assistant director, who led the operation, said, “We have found substantial evidence of irregularities and corruption involving 14 individuals at different stages of the project including awarding contracts to close associates. They have looted the public money in various ways.”
The New Head of Project Management at a2i Abdullah Al Fahim told journalists that action against 14 individuals has already been taken as evidence of irregularities and corruption have been found against them. The involvement of Joy and Palak in the corruption is also being scrutinized.
ACC officials think that close associates of the Awami League government were involved in the project of looting and laundering the money abroad.
According to ACC sources, a2i had turned into a massive project for looting, orchestrated by close associates of the then government. From project consultant to e-document implementation expert, a total of 14 top officials had turned this project into a hub of irregularities. They were found to be involved in widespread corruption in the project’s procurement process, money laundering, foreign trips, illegal asset accruing, awarding contracts to close associates, embezzlement through fake bills or vouchers, illegal recruitment, inappropriate behaviour with female colleagues, political campaigning, and even indulging in intoxication at night clubs. A committee was also formed to investigate these allegations.
It is known that the a2i (Access to Information) initiative was launched in 2009 under the Prime Minister’s Office with funding from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) to implement the Digital Bangladesh vision. Following a directive from the former prime minister, the programme was moved under the ICT Division in 2018. In 2020, its name was changed from Access to Information to Aspire to Innovate.
Later, the ‘Agency to Innovate (a2i) Bill 2023’ was passed in the parliament. Former State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak moved the bill and it was passed by voice vote.
The project's duration was from January 2020 to December 2025. Initially, the total estimated cost of the project was set at Tk 485.45 crore. Of the amount, Tk 403.65 was expected to come from the state exchequer while Tk 81.80 crore expected to come from assistance funds. However, after revising the estimated cost, the total expenditure increased to Tk 855.48 crore. Of the amount, the government's share rose from Tk 403.65 crore to Tk 553.65 crore, while the expenditure from assistance funds increased from Tk 81.80 crore to Tk 301.83 crore.
bd-pratidin/GR
