Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission has taken big action against one of the most talked-about names from the previous police administration. On September 9, the ACC approved charge sheets in two separate cases against Harun-or-Rashid, former chief of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and his brother ATM Shahriar on charges of acquiring assets far beyond their known income and laundering money to conceal the source.
What the ACC Discovered
ACC Secretary Saidur Rahman Khan said the investigation traced a total of Tk 21.28 crore in Harun’s assets, including Tk 12.07 crore in immovable property and Tk 9.21 crore in movable assets. After subtracting his legal income and living costs, the commission found that some Tk19.99 crore of his wealth could not be explained legally, with his savings capacity left at just Tk48.90 lakh. Shahriar was found to have around Tk18.28 crore of his own unexplained assets in the second case.
Investigators also uncovered one particular transaction that links the two cases. Records show that in 2016, Harun gifted his brother 1,850 decimals of land, almost 18.5 acres, in Kishoreganj through a formal gift deed. The ACC said the transfer was part of a wider pattern where family members were used to hold assets and disguise their true source.
Legal Grounds for the Charges
The charge sheets refer to Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947, and Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012.
Harun is also charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code for abetment, where he is accused of helping his brother to obtain and hide assets by abusing power. ACC Deputy Director Mohammad Zainal Abedin led the investigation and examined the two men’s movable and immovable property, income tax records and bank transactions.
How the Case Got Here
The investigation dates back to August 2024 when Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled after a popular uprising. The ACC launched an inquiry into Harun that month, and by October it had summoned him and 12 family members including his wife, mother and several cousins, to be questioned over allegations of illegally amassed wealth.
A formal case was filed at the ACC’s Dhaka-1 Integrated District Office in December 2024. In the months that followed, a Dhaka court ordered the seizure of Harun’s income tax records and the freezing of a number of bank accounts linked to him and Shahriar.
Harun himself was not there for any of this. Reports on his whereabouts indicate that immediately after the uprising, he went into hiding, sent his family to the United States in early August 2024, and then left Bangladesh for India before settling in Dallas, Texas. Reports indicate that he is living in Dallas with his family and running business interests.
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What happens next?
The cases now head to trial in Bangladesh’s courts with the charge sheets approved. Harun’s wife Shirin Akhter has also been charged with having several crore taka worth of unexplained assets. But the announcement on September 9 was only about two cases against Harun and Shahriar.
Harun is thought to be outside the country, and it is still to be seen if the case will continue with him as a fugitive or if extradition will be on the table.
The case is one of several the ACC has pursued against former police and administration officials linked to the previous government as the commission continues to process complaints filed following the 2024 political transition.
FAQ
Who is harun or rashid?
He was the former additional commissioner of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and is now facing charges of corruption and money laundering.
How much unexplained wealth did the ACC uncover?
Tk 19.99 crore associated with Harun and Tk 18.28 crore associated with his brother ATM Shahriar.
Where do you think Harun is?
According to sources, he left Bangladesh after August 2024 and is now in Dallas, USA.
Summary: Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission has approved charge sheets against former Detective Branch chief Harun-or-Rashid and his brother ABM Shahriar, alleging nearly Tk40 crore in assets acquired beyond their known income and concealed through land transfers.
