Probe report in graft case against Shakib, 14 others postponed until 23 September

A Dhaka court on Monday fixed 23 September for the submission of the investigation report in a graft case against former lawmaker and cricketer Shakib Al Hasan and 14 others over allegations of stock market manipulation, illegal transactions and money laundering.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Shajahan Kabir set the new date after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) failed to submit the probe report on the scheduled date.

The other accused are Shakib's mother Shirin Akhter; Deputy Registrar of the Department of Cooperatives Abul Khair Hiru; his wife Kazi Sadia Hasan; Abul Kalam Madbar; Kanika Afroz; Mohammad Bashar; Sazed Madbar; Aleya Begum; Kazi Fuad Hasan; Kazi Farid Hasan; Javed A Matin; Zahed Kamal; Humayun Kabir; and Tanvir Nizam.

The ACC filed the case on 17 May, with Assistant Director Sajjad Hossain accusing the suspects of manipulating the stock market through illegal serial transactions, fraudulent active trading, gambling and speculative activities using BO accounts linked to their own interests.

According to the case statement, the accused artificially inflated the prices of selected shares, distorting the market and defrauding general investors, who allegedly suffered losses amounting to Tk256 crore.