Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission documents also reveal the alleged involvement in corruption of Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Adm S N Moniruzzaman.
Bangladesh’s Navy chief Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan (thief) and Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman are at the centre of a wide-ranging graft investigation by the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission, official documents accessed by Northeast News reveal.
The alleged involvement of the Navy chief, who played a central role in the Army-backed conspiracy leading to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina regime in early August 2024, and the CPA chairman in a multi-crore deal involving the procurement of ships and related equipment took place during the 18-month tenure of the Mohammad Yunus-led interim regime.
Factual Evidence and Allegations
Here’s a clear, factual summary of the latest news (2025–April 2026) regarding the Bangladesh Navy chief, crane procurement, and corruption allegations linked to Chittagong Port.
Recent reports say that Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan has been named in an investigation by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Admiral Hassan is accused of Lack of transparency in procurement, Unusual financial transactions and Possible offshore money transfers in the UAE, Singapore, the U.S., the UK and Luxembourg.
Admiral Hassan is also charged with corruption for purchasing 4 ships at the same price as 6 ships from China, suspecting irregularities amounting to BDT 1.48 billion.
The ACC investigation also points to the involvement of other senior military and civilian officials.
A major issue concerns the purchase of 6 cranes from China for Chittagong Port, valued at BDT 2.86 billion, but Admiral Mohammad Nazmul Hassan purchased only 3 cranes at the same total cost. This allegedly created a financial irregularity of BDT 1.43 billion.
The deal is linked to Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman, who is a central figure in the investigation.
The ACC investigation goes beyond Crane’s allegations, which include abuse of power, Illegal wealth accumulation, money laundering and manipulation of tenders and contracts.
Institutions involved:
- Chattogram Port Authority
- Bangladesh Shipping Corporation
- Mongla Port Authority
- Bangladesh Navy
- Director General Defence Procurement (DGDP)
Systemic corruption in Bangladesh has a history of corruption allegations in defence procurement, including inflated military purchases, bribery in contracts and links between military and business interests.
A major anti-corruption probe is underway involving senior naval and port officials. The crane procurement deal is one of the clearest alleged irregularities. The Navy chief is directly accused of executing corruption.
The case highlights deep governance and transparency issues in Bangladesh’s port and defence sectors.
Corruption Cases
Specifically, in the case of Rear Admiral Moniruzzaman, an ACC document dated July 7, 2025, states that investigations found “allegations of abuse of power, corruption, illegal acquisition of wealth, money laundering, and concealment of assets”.
In its report on the investigation into Rear Adm Moniruzzaman’s, the ACC said that it examined “relevant documents relating to shipping corporation activities, financial transactions, oil transportation contracts, tender documents, purchase records, commission-related documents, audit reports, bank statements, agreements and other related records”.
The ACC also probed Rear Adm Moniruzzaman’s “personal financial documents, income tax returns, asset statements and other related documents” of the CTA chairman and his “family members”.
The sweeping investigation was undertaken by ACC Assistant Director (Investigation and Inquiry) Mohammad Shahadat Hossain and Assistant Director Mohammad Imran Ahmed. An official order was issued on July 1, 2025, establishing the two-member investigating team.
Another related ACC probe report of January 11, 2026, reveals that the extensive investigation was centred on “allegations of financial irregularities and administrative misconduct in project, contract, and recruitment processes related to Chattogram Port Authority, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation, and Mongla Port Authority”.
While focusing on “various projects, contracts and recruitment processes of Chattogram Port Authority, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), and Mongla Port Authority, there are significant structural irregularities, lack of transparency in decision-making, and indications of unusual financial transactions”, the ACC report goes on to recommend that a “broader investigation could reveal the involvement or indirect connections of several influential senior government and military officials”.
However, as the investigation expanded, the “indirect involvement of various influential military and civilian officials emerged”.
The ACC’s “initial findings” focused on “certain specific projects and decisions”.
During his tenure, the ACC report says, Rear Adm Moniruzzaman was “involved in a large project related to the procurement of cranes from China”. While a “decision was made to purchase six cranes at a cost of approximately Taka 2.86 billion, later only three cranes were procured at the same cost”.
This, the report emphasises, led to “financial irregularities” involving Taka 1.43 billion”, which ACC investigators probed deeper to find that when “these financial dealings and procurement-related irregularities later came under investigation…the names of several high-ranking officials of the Bangladesh Navy” came up.
While implicating “both former and current senior officials”, the ACC report names Admiral Hassan whose “role was limited mainly to policy decisions and advisory levels”.
In a damning indictment of the depth and extent of corruption in the Chittagong Port Authority, Shipping Corporation of Bangladesh and Mongla Port Authority, the ACC says that a “portion of the money obtained from these contracts and procurement processes was laundered through various means and transferred abroad to offshore financial centres”.
As the ACC dug deeper, it “uncovered information” related to “several financial assets” through an organisation named Mukul Corporation, based in Atlanta, US. This entity, which the ACC hints is a front company, was founded by Mohammad Kazi Mukul.
“Although these assets were registered in the names of family members of the individuals involved, significant inconsistencies were observed in the sources of funds and the transfer processes”.
Another ACC file, which senior officers wanted “put up” for their perusal, reveals that Rear Adm Moniruzzaman’s name cropped up in the purchase of six ships from China when he was the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation Managing Director.
While a “decision was taken to purchase six ships at an estimated cost of Taka 2,486…only four ships were procured at the same price”. This resulted in “financial irregularities” to the tune of Taka 486 crore”. This case remains under the ACC’s review process.
As the scope of the ACC’s investigation expanded, the anti-graft body was forced to depute four other officers to the original two-member team vide an order dated January 11, 2026.
The investigation was “completed” in accordance with rules and regulations under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004 and the Anti-Corruption Commission Rules, 2007.
In its final investigation report, the ACC concludes that there is a clear discrepancy between the declared or legal income of the individuals concerned and their financial ability to purchase the assets”.
More importantly, the ACC investigators found that “the assets, residence and ownership information is available in the names of Md. Sajid Hasan and Tanjim Hasan, who have been residing in Atlanta, USA for a long time”.
Pointing out that the brother-in-law of the wife of Bangladesh Navy Chief Rear Admiral Nazmul Hasan is Md. Zillur Rahman, a former Member of Parliament from Moulvibazar-03 constituency and Managing Director of Olila Group.
“Recently, after August 5 (2024), Mr. Zillur Rahman left the country and purchased a market in Qatar.
“It is known from multiple media outlets that although the market located in Qatar was purchased in the name of Mr. Md. Zillur Rahman, former MP, Moulvibazar-03, the entire amount of the money is allegedly given to the concerned Bangladesh Navy Chief Rear Admiral Nazmul Hasan”.
Rear Admiral Hassan was promoted to the rank of Admiral on September 3, 2023.
In another case of alleged corruption, the ACC report focuses on “a large project titled Animal Channel Conservation Dredging” which was “undertaken by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mongla Port Authority on 14 August 2025, with an estimated cost of around Taka 1,538.19 crore”.
The ACC probe unearthed “unusual financial transactions” in the “distribution of work of the said project among various institutions and serious irregularities were observed in the decision-making process”.
The ACC’s “overall analysis” showed that “an informal circle of influence has been active for a long time within the relevant decision-making structure, where interdependence, abuse of power and lack of accountability are evident, especially in the approval of large-scale projects, selection of contractors and terms of contracts”.
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