The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to investigate the abnormal rise in the wealth of 41 ministers, state ministers and MPs of the deposed Awami League government, who got their assets swelled by hundreds of times over the last 15 years.

The decision was taken at a meeting on Monday following an application submitted by Supreme Court lawyer Barrister M Sarwar Hossain, a senior official of the anti-graft watchdog told the Mirror Asia.

Earlier on Sunday, Barrister Sarwar applied to the ACC chairman seeking investigation into the wealth of 47 former ministers, state ministers and MPs, attaching a list detailing the percentage of the wealth rise over the past 15 years as reported in the media.

Former Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar topped the list as his assets swelled by 6,350% during the period followed by former State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain at 2,858% and former Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi at 2,703%.

In terms of moveable property, Rajshahi-4 MP Enamul Haque surpassed all others by huge margins. His moveable assets increased by a staggering 243,513% over the 15 years.

It was mentioned in the application that the former ministers and MPs amassed wealth abusing power.

Former ministers Tipu Munshi, Zahid Maleque, Dr Dipu Moni, state ministers Nasrul Hamid and Dr Enamur Rahman topped the list among cabinet members of the last Awami League government.

In the last five years, Law Minister Anisul Huq, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, LGED Minister Tazul Islam, Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, State Ministers Zunaid Ahmed Palak and Dr Enamur Rahman, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare Imran Ahmad and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid found Aladdin’s Lamp to get the wealth swelled by many times.

Qamrul Islam and Benjir Ahmed of Dhaka, Sarwar Jahan Badsha of Kushtia, Shariful Islam Jinnah of Bogura, Shahidul Islam Bakul of Natore, Sheikh Afil Uddin, Kazi Nabil Ahmed and Swapan Bhattacharjee of Jashore, Solim Uddin Tarofder of Naogaon, Enamul Haque of Rajshahi, Mamunur Rashid Kiron of Noakhali, Kujendra Lal Tripura of Khagrachari, Muhibur Rahman of Patuakhali, Meher Afroz Chumki of Gazipur, AKM Sarwar Jahan of Kushtia, Kazim Uddin Ahmed of Mymensingh, Anwar Hossain Manju of Pirojpur, Shajahan Khan and Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury of Madharipur, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon of Joypurhat, Sheikh Helal Uddin of Bagerhat, Hasanul Haq Inu of Kushtia, Mohammed Hasan Mahmud of Chattogram and Ziaur Rahman of Chapainawabganj were among the former MPs who saw an unusual rise in their assets.

Regarding the application, ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen said the commission will look into the allegations as per the rules. “The ACC will definitely act if it gets specific information,” she said.

“In the last 15 years, the income of some of the ministers and MPs has seen an unprecedented increase. The wealth has increased from a minimum of 100 times to a hundred thousand times,” according to the application.

Referring to media reports, Barrister Sarwar said the immediate past government did not pay heed to the corruption allegations against its lawmakers though those came to the fore at different times, especially before the last general election.