Businessman Noor Ali is claimed to have admitted to the joint forces that he gave Tk 1 crore to Awami League (AL) chief and the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and three flats to her cousin Sheikh Helal out of the $ 4 million commission he received from MiG-29 purchase for Bangladesh Air Force during the AL rule.| A crore is 100 lakh, or 10 million. A dollar is about 70 Bangla Taka as of today. But $142,857.14 goes further in Bangla than it does most places. |
Chairman of Unique Group Noor Ali, who was the local agent in the MiG-29 purchase deal, also said three other people got around $ 12 million commission from the deal. He contested the general election on AL ticket from Nababganj constituency in Dhaka in 2001. Giving details, Noor Ali said he gave Hasina Tk 1 crore in cash. Of the three flats he gave AL leader Sheikh Helal, one was registered in the name of his brother-in-law.
According to sources, Noor Ali also told the interrogators that an application was sent to Rajuk seeking registration of the rest two flats at Unique Prominent on Dutabash Road in Baridhara in the name of Helal's wife. Hasina wanted 5,388 square feet floor space at UTC building for the IT office of Joy. But it was registered in the name of now detained AL presidium member Kazi Zafarullah, sources said quoting Noor Ali.
Although Zafarullah did not pay a single taka for it, he took a receipt from Noor Ali that he paid him Tk 81 lakh. Former chairman of Baira Noor Ali also told the joint forces that he received $ 4 million commission in the MiG- 29 purchase deal in two instalments in 2005, according to sources.