Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said on Thursday that former Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia should be given the chance to respond to allegations of corruption against him.

“If this former police officer cannot clarify the legitimacy of his wealth, then he will be called corrupt,” Kamal said while speaking to journalists at the Secretariat.

“No specific charges have been filed against Asaduzzaman Mia. There are claims about his assets, but he has not been summoned yet. Once he is, he will get the opportunity to clarify the legitimacy of his wealth,” the home minister said.

Kamal said, “The land that was worth Tk10 lakhs ten years ago is now worth Tk2 crore. In this way, the value of assets has increased manifold, which is why the person against whom the complaint is made must be given the opportunity to defend himself.”

Asaduzzaman claimed that the information about illegal wealth that came from the media was false and baseless.

He said that all his wealth was bought with money earned from legitimate income.

Asaduzzaman said he had gone to Singapore with his family for treatment, adding that he would return to the country in a few days.