The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed for questioning on June 6 on allegations of acquiring illegal wealth.

ACC reported this information on Tuesday (May 28) afternoon.

According to ACC sources, the former IGP has shown a lot of assets in his income tax file, but the ACC will look at the legitimate sources of these assets. Legitimate sectors of wealth generation will be scrutinized even if raised in the tax file.

According to sources, Benazir's wife and children have shown fish business as a source of income. This will also be looked into.

According to ACC sources, ACC has sent a letter to Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit- BFIU to find out whether Benazir’s family has any assets outside the country including America, Canada and Australia.

The organization said that after starting the investigation, the ACC is constantly getting a lot of information about Benazir family's wealth through intelligence media.

Meanwhile, last Sunday, the court ordered to attach another 119 movable and immovable properties of Benazir Ahmed, his wife and three children. ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir said.

The court also ordered the freezing of 113 other deeded assets in the names of Benazir Ahmed, his wife and three children, four flat purchases in Gulshan and shares held in their names in several companies.

Last Thursday (May 23) in view of ACC's application, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Mohammad As Sams Jaglul Hossain's court ordered the seizure of 83 documents belonging to Benazir Ahmed. At the same time, the court ordered the bank accounts in the name of his wife and daughters.

Earlier, on April 22 last month, Supreme Court lawyer Salauddin Regan filed a writ in the High Court seeking an inquiry into Benazir Ahmed's corruption allegations.

Incidentally, Barrister Syed Syedul Haque Sumon wrote a letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate the allegations against Benazir Ahmed. The letter said that former Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Benazir Ahmed retired on September 30, 2022 after serving for 34 years and 7 months. After retirement, Benazir Ahmed's wife and daughters have huge assets in their names, which are disproportionate to his income.

A recently published national daily claimed that the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the former Director General of RAB Benazir Ahmed have acquired a large amount of illegal assets. Since then, this former IGP of police has been discussed a lot.

Benazir Ahmed said in a video message entitled 'Amar Kichu Katha' on the social media Facebook last Saturday (April 20) in protest of the published news that the news has been published with false and fanciful information.

Benazir Ahmed claimed that some information has been exaggerated and presented. 

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat has called on Germany's state-owned international broadcaster Deutsche Welle to demonstrate its commitment to human rights and media freedom by producing and airing a documentary on the genocide in Gaza.

The State Minister made this call in the chief guest's speech at the workshop on 'Information rights of backward, marginalized and underprivileged citizens' at the conference room of Information Commission Bangladesh at Agargaon in the capital on Tuesday (May 28) morning.

Information Commission Bangladesh, US Aid, The Carter Center jointly organized this workshop.

The State Minister said that in the recent past, Deutsche Welle had done a report on human rights, in which Bangladesh was compared with Sri Lanka, a country that faced a civil war a few days ago. I will not criticize it. I appreciate any organization's commitment to human rights. I would only urge that if Deutsche Welle has such a commitment to human rights, they show it. They should make another documentary on the violation of human rights and genocide in Gaza. Through it, let them prove their commitment to human rights and at the same time let them prove how much freedom they have in the media. And if they can't do that, we'll assume the Deutsche Welle documentary was an intentional documentary. A special circle has done this as part of an anti-Bangladesh conspiracy. Who do not really talk about the life problems of our marginalized people and their development? This documentary is part of the attempt to downplay Bangladesh in front of the world.

He also said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's commitment to the people of this country is unbelievable. As we move forward under the strong leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter, as we try to change our position on the world stage, we notice a kind of international and domestic conspiracy.

The State Minister said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has provided shelter for the poor people of Bangladesh, especially for the landless people. She arranged their human rights. The Bangladesh of the liberation war dream, there will be equal rights for every human being regardless of religion, caste and gender. It is guaranteed in the constitution, it is legally guaranteed, now it is guaranteed politically. Socially we want to see its implementation everywhere. That is why the Right to Information Act has been enacted.

The Prime Minister has also included the people of the Bede community in the Asryan scheme, arranged their voting rights - said the State Minister.

The State Minister also said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is working with the highest priority to preserve the human rights of the most neglected people, the landless, preserve their right to vote and preserve their freedom of expression through voting. But these issues do not come up in political forums. The protection of human rights of backward communities was once neglected, they were always deprived. Bangabandhu's daughter solved them.

He said that the Right to Information Act was passed in 2009 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This Act proves the commitment of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government to transparency, accountability, good governance and democracy. There are two sides to this law. One party is the one who will give the information; the other party is the one who will receive the information. The Information Commission is constantly working to explain the Right to Information Act to both parties. One thing that those working at various levels of government must understand is that the people own the information. This law has confirmed the right of the public to seek information. If the media wants information from the public, that information should be given. Those who will give information need to create this sense of space. At the same time those who take the information often do not use this information properly. Exercising rights using the Right to Information Act often leads to the exercise of rights.

Referring to information as power, the State Minister said that information has two aspects. Information is powerful if it is correct. If it's not right, it can be disastrous. Many of us do not think or talk about the social misinformation that puts the common people of our country at risk. Not just political disinformation, but disinformation as a whole is destructive. And right information empowers people. This is why we need to work to prevent misinformation while ensuring accurate information is available.

Chief Information Commissioner Dr. Abdul Malek presided over the workshop. In the workshop special guests were Member of Parliament Aroma Dutta, Office Director of US Aid Alena Tanse, Information Commissioner Shahidul Alam Jhinuk and Information Commissioner Masuda Bhatti. Information Commission Secretary Zubaida Nasreen was also present in the workshop. Sumna Sultana Mahmuda, Chief of Party of The Carter Center delivered the welcome speech. Zobaida Nasreen, Professor of Anthropology Department of Dhaka University, presented the Key note paper in the workshop.

Even after 45 hours of severe cyclone Remal, 1 crore 73 lakh customers are without electricity across the country, sources in the electricity department said.

Due to the storm, 3 crore 3 lakh customers of the Rural Electrification Board were cut off. Electricity supply to 1 crore 31 lakh customers has already been started.

As of Tuesday (May 28) 1 crore 71 lakh 73 thousand customers are without electricity till 2 pm.

On the other hand, 1 lakh 44 thousand customers of Westzone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCO) are still reported to be without electricity.

According to the message of the electricity department, 3 thousand 833 rural electrification board poles were damaged, 2 thousand 818 transformers, 76 thousand 404 spans (torn wires), 24 thousand 258 insulators were broken, and 59 thousand 399 meters were damaged.

Never in the past have so many customers experienced power outages at once. Again, there is less precedent for storms for such a long time. Electricity supply was disrupted across the country. In many places, the tree has fallen and the cable has been torn. Testing along each line is enabled. The Rural Electrification Board said that electricity supply is being started in new areas every moment.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit the affected areas of Cyclone Remal. Awami League General Secretary and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader gave this information.

He gave this information at a briefing held at the Awami League president's political office in Dhanmondi on Tuesday (May 28).

It is learnt that the Prime Minister will visit Patuakhali on May 30 (Thursday). The district administration is making preparations around the Prime Minister's visit.

Deputy Commissioner Md. Noor Qutubul Alam said that at least 327,000 people of Patuakhali have been affected by Cyclone Remal. 235 houses of the district were completely destroyed and 1 thousand 865 houses were partially destroyed. Apart from this, there has been a loss of Tk. 26 crore 21 lakhs in the agriculture sector and Tk. 28 crore 69 lakhs in the fisheries sector.

Incidentally, Cyclone Remal first hit the southern coast of the country on Sunday (26 May). The cyclone swept over Patuakhali's Khepupara at a maximum speed of 111 km. At least 19 districts of the country were affected by its heavy impact. But the most affected are Patuakhali, Bhola and Bagerhat.