The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved charges against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, six former ministers, and several senior government officials in connection with alleged irregularities and abuse of power in the Meghna-Gomti Bridge toll collection contract that reportedly caused the government a loss of over Tk 309 crore.

ACC Deputy Director (Public Relations) Akhtarul Islam confirmed the development on Sunday, saying the commission approved the case against 17 individuals.

According to ACC findings, in 2016, Computer Network Systems Ltd (CNS) was awarded the toll collection contract on a single-source basis, bypassing the valid tender process and without competitive negotiation. CNS was appointed to collect tolls in exchange for 17.75 percent of total toll revenue (excluding VAT and IT) as service fees.

As a result, the company received payments exceeding Tk 489 crore, whereas a previous five-year contract (2010–2015) with MBE-L-ATT Joint Venture had cost just over Tk 150 crore. A later contract (2022–2025) with UDC Construction Ltd for similar services cost Tk 67 crore over three years—roughly Tk 112 crore over five years—highlighting a massive financial discrepancy.

The ACC claims the irregular award to CNS caused the state exchequer to lose more than Tk 309 crore.

Those named in the case include former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina; former ministers Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Obaidul Quader, Anisul Huq, and State Minister M.A. Mannan; as well as senior bureaucrats M.A.N. Siddique, Md Faruq Jalil, Mohammad Shafiqul Karim, Engineer Md Firoz Iqbal, Ibne Alam Hasan, Md Aftab Hossain Khan, and Md Abdus Salam.

CNS Ltd Managing Director Munir Uz Zaman Chowdhury, Director Selina Chowdhury, and Director Ikram Iqbal have also been charged.

The complaint accuses the defendants of conspiring to misuse state power for personal or corporate gain through fraudulent and embezzlement-related activities, in violation of Sections 409, 420, and 109 of the Penal Code, as well as Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.