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Complaint targets former BIWTA chief, ex-state minister and senior officials over alleged procurement irregularities, illicit wealth and money laundering
by Chandan Nandy
July 17, 2026
Despite strong evidence that indicate corruption among a section of Bangladesh Navy’s senior officer corps, the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been unable to proceed against them as the chairman’s post in the independent anti-graft statutory agency remains vacant.
The position of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman in Bangladesh is currently vacant following the resignation of Mohammad Abdul Momen and his commissioners. The ACC Director General is Mohammad Monirul Islam, who was appointed to the post on deputation.
ACC has been without a chairman since March 3, 2026, when the previous leadership tendered en masse resignations. In response, the government formed a five-member search committee, headed by Appellate Division Justice Mohammad Rezaul Haque, tasked with reviewing hundreds of applicants and recommending suitable candidates for the President to formally appoint the Commission’s head.
Among some of the naval officers, who the ACC has been investigating – without much success – are Admiral Namzul Hassan (who retired from service on July 16, 2026) and Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman. It is alleged in ACC documents and associated complaints that Adm (retd) Hassan holds benami property in Georgia, US.
However, the case of Rear Admiral Golam Sadeq is glaring, ACC documents, including complaints against him, indicate.
Less than two years ago, the ACC launched a formal investigation into allegations of large-scale irregularities in the procurement of 35 dredgers and auxiliary vessels by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), following accusations of corruption, illicit wealth accumulation and overseas money laundering against several current and former officials.
ACC documents accessed by Northeast News show that the Commission, after screening 52 complaints received on September 4, 2024, approved only one complaint for a full-scale inquiry. The complaint concerns the procurement of dredgers and related infrastructure by BIWTA between 2018 and 2024.
According to the documents, the complaint was filed by advocate Mohammad Ali Azgar Fakir of the Bangladesh Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum and names former BIWTA Chairman Commodore (later Rear Admiral) Golam Sadeq, former Chief Engineer (Dredging) Mohammad Abdul Matin, current BIWTA Chairman Golam Mostafa, and former State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.
The ACC alleges irregularities in the procurement of 35 dredgers and auxiliary vessels, along with related infrastructure materials. The complaint further accuses the officials of acquiring illegal wealth through corruption and laundering money abroad.
Following a review under the Commission’s complaint-screening regulations, the ACC decided to transfer the complaint to its Special Investigation Directorate for a detailed inquiry.
The remaining 51 complaints received during the same review period were closed after being classified as either general in nature, unsupported by evidence or already addressed through previous proceedings.
Subsequently, the Commission appointed Assistant Director Mohammad Rakibul Hayat as the inquiry officer and directed BIWTA to submit extensive documentation relating to the dredger procurement programme.
The records sought by investigators include the complete procurement files covering the 2018-2024 period, including Development Project Proposals (DPPs), revised project documents, approved cost estimates, tender notices, tender opening and evaluation committee reports, comparative statements, contracts, notifications of award, work orders and payment records.
The ACC also requested certified copies of the personal service records of former BIWTA Chairman Golam Sadeq, current Chairman Golam Mostafa, former Chief Engineer Abdul Matin, Additional Chief Engineer (Dredging) Rakibul Islam Talukdar, Additional Chief Engineer Saidur Rahman and other officials connected with the procurement process.
According to the investigation order, BIWTA was instructed to provide the requested documents to the Commission by October 30, 2024, to facilitate the inquiry.
The investigation subsequently progressed to witness examination. A separate ACC notice issued under Section 22 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, directed Rear Admiral Golam Sadeq, who had by then returned to naval service as Commander of the Khulna Naval Area, to appear before investigators at the Commission’s headquarters in Dhaka on March 5, 2025, to provide a statement. The notice instructed him to appear with his national identity card and passport.
The documents indicate that investigators are examining whether irregularities occurred during the procurement of the dredgers and associated support vessels and whether any public officials derived unlawful financial benefits from the project.
The procurement of 35 dredgers formed one of BIWTA’s largest inland waterway development programmes in recent years, intended to improve navigability across Bangladesh’s river network by expanding dredging capacity. The project involved multiple tenders, procurement packages and supporting infrastructure.
The ACC documents do not specify the estimated financial loss to the state or identify particular procurement contracts alleged to have been manipulated. Nor do they contain any findings of wrongdoing.
The inquiry remains at the investigative stage, and the allegations have not been tested before a court. No charges have yet been framed, and the individuals named in the ACC documents remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
by Chandan Nandy
July 17, 2026
Despite strong evidence that indicate corruption among a section of Bangladesh Navy’s senior officer corps, the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has been unable to proceed against them as the chairman’s post in the independent anti-graft statutory agency remains vacant.
The position of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman in Bangladesh is currently vacant following the resignation of Mohammad Abdul Momen and his commissioners. The ACC Director General is Mohammad Monirul Islam, who was appointed to the post on deputation.
ACC has been without a chairman since March 3, 2026, when the previous leadership tendered en masse resignations. In response, the government formed a five-member search committee, headed by Appellate Division Justice Mohammad Rezaul Haque, tasked with reviewing hundreds of applicants and recommending suitable candidates for the President to formally appoint the Commission’s head.
Among some of the naval officers, who the ACC has been investigating – without much success – are Admiral Namzul Hassan (who retired from service on July 16, 2026) and Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman. It is alleged in ACC documents and associated complaints that Adm (retd) Hassan holds benami property in Georgia, US.
However, the case of Rear Admiral Golam Sadeq is glaring, ACC documents, including complaints against him, indicate.
Less than two years ago, the ACC launched a formal investigation into allegations of large-scale irregularities in the procurement of 35 dredgers and auxiliary vessels by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), following accusations of corruption, illicit wealth accumulation and overseas money laundering against several current and former officials.
ACC documents accessed by Northeast News show that the Commission, after screening 52 complaints received on September 4, 2024, approved only one complaint for a full-scale inquiry. The complaint concerns the procurement of dredgers and related infrastructure by BIWTA between 2018 and 2024.
According to the documents, the complaint was filed by advocate Mohammad Ali Azgar Fakir of the Bangladesh Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum and names former BIWTA Chairman Commodore (later Rear Admiral) Golam Sadeq, former Chief Engineer (Dredging) Mohammad Abdul Matin, current BIWTA Chairman Golam Mostafa, and former State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.
The ACC alleges irregularities in the procurement of 35 dredgers and auxiliary vessels, along with related infrastructure materials. The complaint further accuses the officials of acquiring illegal wealth through corruption and laundering money abroad.
Following a review under the Commission’s complaint-screening regulations, the ACC decided to transfer the complaint to its Special Investigation Directorate for a detailed inquiry.
The remaining 51 complaints received during the same review period were closed after being classified as either general in nature, unsupported by evidence or already addressed through previous proceedings.
Subsequently, the Commission appointed Assistant Director Mohammad Rakibul Hayat as the inquiry officer and directed BIWTA to submit extensive documentation relating to the dredger procurement programme.
The records sought by investigators include the complete procurement files covering the 2018-2024 period, including Development Project Proposals (DPPs), revised project documents, approved cost estimates, tender notices, tender opening and evaluation committee reports, comparative statements, contracts, notifications of award, work orders and payment records.
The ACC also requested certified copies of the personal service records of former BIWTA Chairman Golam Sadeq, current Chairman Golam Mostafa, former Chief Engineer Abdul Matin, Additional Chief Engineer (Dredging) Rakibul Islam Talukdar, Additional Chief Engineer Saidur Rahman and other officials connected with the procurement process.
According to the investigation order, BIWTA was instructed to provide the requested documents to the Commission by October 30, 2024, to facilitate the inquiry.
The investigation subsequently progressed to witness examination. A separate ACC notice issued under Section 22 of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, directed Rear Admiral Golam Sadeq, who had by then returned to naval service as Commander of the Khulna Naval Area, to appear before investigators at the Commission’s headquarters in Dhaka on March 5, 2025, to provide a statement. The notice instructed him to appear with his national identity card and passport.
The documents indicate that investigators are examining whether irregularities occurred during the procurement of the dredgers and associated support vessels and whether any public officials derived unlawful financial benefits from the project.
The procurement of 35 dredgers formed one of BIWTA’s largest inland waterway development programmes in recent years, intended to improve navigability across Bangladesh’s river network by expanding dredging capacity. The project involved multiple tenders, procurement packages and supporting infrastructure.
The ACC documents do not specify the estimated financial loss to the state or identify particular procurement contracts alleged to have been manipulated. Nor do they contain any findings of wrongdoing.
The inquiry remains at the investigative stage, and the allegations have not been tested before a court. No charges have yet been framed, and the individuals named in the ACC documents remain presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
