MP Elias accused of grabbing government land and embezzling Tk 375 million by building slums

A 7-acre pond in the Pallabi area of Mirpur in the capital. Former MP from Dhaka-16 constituency Elias Uddin Molla had occupied this vacant land for 16 years by building slum houses. In January this year, the National Housing Authority conducted an eviction drive and revealed the real owner to the Dhaka Journalists Cooperative Association. ACC investigation says that although the seven-acre land was allocated to the Dhaka Journalists Cooperative Association in 2006, Elias Uddin Molla occupied it in 2008. In the next 16 years, he built 600-700 tin slums and collected rent every month, embezzling about Tk 37.5 crore. And instead of evicting them, three officials of the National Housing Authority collaborated in sharing this income. The ACC has recently filed a case against them. In addition to occupying government land, the ACC is investigating Ilias Molla’s huge illegal assets. ACC Public Relations Officer Akhtarul Islam said, “A case was filed against four people, including former MP Ilias Mollah, on July 28 in connection with the embezzlement incident. Subject to investigation, the ACC will take further legal action if anyone else is involved in the matter. One of the three housing officers, Nurul Islam, has retired. While Kazi Abu Hanif and Harizur Rahman are still in charge. They refused to comment on the allegations. National Housing Authority Secretary Mandeep Gharai said, “We have already handed over the information that the ACC had sought from the three officers in the embezzlement incident. We will take action against the accused according to the National Housing Authority Act.”