Sonali Bank Deputy GeneralManager AKM Azizur Rahman Thursday confessed his involvement in the Hall-Markloan scam in the meeting of parliamentary standing committee on financeministry.
Azizur Rahman was the formerManager of Sonali Bank of Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch.
Former Managing Director ofSonali Bank Humayun Kabir is trying to escape from his alleged involvement inthe Hall-Mark loan swindle, meeting sources said. The committee asked AzizurRahman about his involvement in the loan scam in a meeting held at the JatiyaSangsad Bhaban with committee convener Tajul Islam in the chair.
Committee members MA Mannan,Golam Dastagir Gazi and Maidul Islam were present in the meeting.
Moreover, incumbent ManagingDirector of Sonali Bank Pradip Kumar, Deputy Managing Director Atiqur Rahmanand OSD official Mainul Haque attended the meeting.
In the meeting, Aziz confessedthat he granted loan to Hall-Mark Group exceeding his jurisdiction.
He escaped the approvals of thehigher authorities to sanction the loan, he further said.
The committee recommended takingmeasures so that the persons involved in the loan scam could not flee thecountry, said Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat. Earlier, little-known Hallmark Groupand five other companies have embezzled Tk 3,547 crore from state-run SonaliBank with the help of bank's high-ups.
A central bank probe found thatSonali Bank high-ups, including a deputy managing director, a general manager andthe branch manager, were directly involved in the scam. The amount embezzled bythe six entities is equivalent to almost 15 percent of the total estimated costof the $2.9 billion Padma bridge project.
Of Tk 3,547 crore, Hallmark Groupalone took away Tk 2,686.14 crore, T and Brothers Tk 609.69 crore, ParagonGroup Tk 146.60 crore, Nakshi Knit Tk 66.36 crore, DN Sports Tk 33.25 crore andKhanjahan Ali Tk 4.96 crore. Of the six borrowers, Hallmark has been found tobe the biggest fraudster.