The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has taken a tougher stance against the accused and recruiting agencies implicated in cases over allegedly charging Bangladeshi migrant workers several times the government-approved recruitment fee for jobs in Malaysia during the Awami League government's tenure from 2021 to 2024.

As part of its ongoing investigation, the ACC is also examining the personal assets of the owners of the accused recruiting agencies.

According to the commission, it has so far filed cases against 232 individuals linked to 100 recruiting agencies over alleged corruption in the overseas labour recruitment sector. To facilitate further investigation, the ACC has issued notices to 213 of the accused, directing them to submit statements of their assets.

The cases allege that the 100 recruiting agencies misappropriated a total of Tk 79.84 billion (Tk 7,984 crore, 15 lakh, 7 thousand and 500).

The information was disclosed in a letter signed by SMM Akhtar Hamid Bhuiyan, Director of the ACC's Special Inquiry and Investigation-2 Division, who is currently on post-retirement leave.

Among those served with asset declaration notices is Ghulam Mostafa, Managing Director of Prantik Travels and Tourism Limited. He has been accused of acquiring substantial movable and immovable assets, both in his own name and through proxies, beyond his known sources of income.

Exercising powers under Section 26(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, the ACC on February 25 this year ordered him to submit, within 21 working days, detailed statements of all movable and immovable assets, liabilities, sources of income and asset acquisition records held in his name, in the names of his wife and dependents, or through proxies..

The letter states that failure to submit the asset statement within the stipulated time or providing false information would result in legal action under Section 26(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004.

Sources involved in the investigation said that notices had been issued in phases to 191 individuals up to May 2026, while the process of issuing notices to another 22 people is underway.

So far, 167 recipients have submitted their asset declarations to the commission. The ACC will verify the declarations before taking further action where necessary.

ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations) Md Akhtarul Islam told the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) that asset declaration notices had been issued to individuals connected to the allegations, while notices for several others were still being processed.

He said the ACC had recommended full-scale investigations against 25 individuals who had already submitted their asset declarations. The remaining declarations are being scrutinised, and further investigations have been proposed in many cases. Those who fail to submit their declarations within the prescribed time will face legal action in accordance with the law.

Akhtarul Islam also said that if discrepancies are found between declared assets and actual assets, the ACC will file cases over illegal wealth accumulation. Depending on the nature of the offence, the commission may also seek court orders imposing travel bans or freezing and confiscating movable and immovable assets.

Former Awami League ministers, MPs among accused

The ACC has separately filed 12 cases in one phase against former ministers, members of parliament, upazila chairmen, councillors and owners of recruiting agencies over allegations of collecting money above the government-approved recruitment fee for sending workers to Malaysia and laundering those funds abroad.

Those accused include former Finance and Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal (Lotus Kamal), former MP Nizam Uddin Hazari, former MP and retired Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, former MP Benazir Ahmed, former Upazila Chairman Abdus Sobhan Bhuiyan, as well as chairmen, managing directors and family members of several recruiting agencies.

According to the allegations, the accused acted in collusion and violated the registration conditions of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) and the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA). Instead of charging the government-approved recruitment fee of Tk 78,990 per worker, they allegedly collected up to Tk 2,46,490 under the heads of passports, medical examinations, air tickets and other expenses, and misappropriated the excess amount.

The allegations further state that payments collected through sub-agents, air tickets and other intermediaries were outside the scope of the government-approved recruitment fee. The funds were subsequently laundered abroad through various channels.