IT BEATS logic when the government and its agencies say that they do not know whether the former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, accused of accumulating illegal wealth to the tune of hundreds of crores, has already left the country. The home minister on June 1 said that he did not know whether the former police chief had left the country while the Awami League secretary said that it would not affect the investigation of the allegations of illegal wealth accumulation levelled against the former police chief whether he has left the country or not. Both the statements betray the government’s lack of seriousness in dealing with the allegations against an individual who often made the headlines for his political speeches supporting the Awami League during his tenure as the police chief. Such statements also add to the public perception that the government is reluctant at holding the former police chief to justice because of the way the government has dealt with most high-profile power abuses, except in cases that involve people in the opposition. The Anti-Corruption Commission did not initially take any action, even after media reports on illegal wealth accumulation by him.

The commission took cognizance of the allegations and began an inquiry after the media and anti-corruption activists raised their voice and demanded action. It also contradicts the logic that the investigating authorities did not impose a travel ban on the former police chief and his family. It appears almost evident that some quarters have helped the former police chief and the family to go out of Bangladesh, if it has been the case. In some earlier cases of illicit capital flow and illegal wealth accumulation, it was alleged that some quarters helped the perpetrators to leave Bangladesh. PK Halder, who stands accused of illicit capital flight and illegal wealth accumulation, is a case in point. He could leave the country through the Benapole port even after the court had ordered an international travel ban on him as the court order and the commission’s notice reached the land port 30 minutes after his departure. The reluctance of the authorities to deal with the allegations against the former police chief also comes to the fore in that he could withdraw, as is reported, almost Tk 100 crore from banks accounts even though the court has ordered that all his accounts should be frozen and when ordinary people struggle to withdraw less than a million from banks that are reportedly suffering from a liquidity crisis.

The government and the Anti-Corruption Commission must, therefore, prove that their zero-tolerance of corruption is not hollow. The authorities must know and let people know whether the former police chief has left the country and, if so, how. The authorities must also expedite the investigation against him.