Bangladesh Fruits Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association (BFVAPEA) President SM Jahangir and General Secretary Mansur Ahmed in association with certain customs officials allegedly siphoned off hundreds of crores of taka provided by the government as incentives for agricultural exports.
They are facing allegations of fraud and forgery.
Allegations suggest that they embezzled hundreds of crores of taka through fraudulent activities.
They are said to be the masterminds behind this illicit operation.
They allegedly fake exports, showing shipments on paper without exporting fruits or vegetables.
They not only wasted valuable foreign currency but also drained government funds.
SM Jahangir and Munsur Ahmed are accused of deceiving authorities by repeatedly creating paper companies with minor changes in name.
Government officials believe that this has contributed to the ongoing dollar crisis in the country.
Investigations revealed that SM Jahangir misappropriated crores of Taka provided by the government as incentives for exports by presenting fake export documents.
In December 2020, Jahangir, was Senior Vice-President of the Bangladesh Agro Processors Association (BAPA), was involved in fraudulent exports, Customs officials detected.
Jahangir had placed small packets of snacks like puffed rice, biscuits, and spices in the front of the container, while the rest was empty.
The consignment, according to Jahangir's declaration contained processed agricultural products worth $103,000, when its actual value was only $5,000.
The exporting company, Bangla Food and Beverage Limited, is headed by Jahangir himself.
Despite such fraudulence, Jahangir was given 'Commercially Important Person' (CIP) card in January 2020 for his supposed contribution to exports.
However, Bangladesh Bank's Central Intelligence Unit (BFIU) recently initiated investigations into his companies, revealing several irregularities and fraudulent practices. Over the last five years, 800 fraudulent export consignments have been uncovered, in which 18 companies were involved in exporting rice, spices, potatoes, and oilseeds, mostly to the UAE and Malaysia, each with an average value of $50,000.
The fraudsters amassed about Tk 68 crore in cash assistance from 800 consignment documents.
Genuine exporters expressed concerns over SM Jahangir corruption, who has held the presidency since 2006.
Due to his close links with Narayanganj District Awami League, particularly with former MP Shamim Osman, he has allegedly manipulated elections within the exporters association and ran a pocket committee to maintain control. Jahangir is accused of using his political influence to launder money and embezzle government funds under the cover of exports.
Additionally, it has been reported that Jahangir grabbed hundreds of acres of government and private land in Sonargaon upazila, Narayanganj, through syndication and corruption.
