[🇧🇩] Everything about Hasina's misrule/Laundered Money etc.

[Saif]

Date of Event: Nov 11, 2024

Source : https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/sheikh-hasina-was-a-classic-autocrat-m-sakhawat-hossain Short Summary: Various misdeeds of Hasina regime

Sheikh Hasina was a classic autocrat: M Sakhawat Hossain
Published :
Aug 05, 2024 22:03
Updated :
Aug 05, 2024 22:03

Sheikh Hasina was a classic autocrat who dismissed the people, and this disdain has led to her current predicament, according to Brigadier General (Retd) M. Sakhawat Hossain, an election analyst and former military officer. In a special interview with UNB news agency over the phone, he expressed these views.
He stated that today's events were inevitable and were bound to happen. "We have seen similar situations in Tunisia, Libya, and Syria. Popular uprisings are unstoppable. The student quota reform movement could have been resolved easily, but due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's stubbornness, so many people lost their lives."

Hossain criticised the media's portrayal of the casualties, claiming that the true number is closer to 400, with a significant portion being students and young people. He questioned the whereabouts of the remaining bodies, mass graves, and the extent of innocent lives lost. "She has gone, but who will answer for this?" he asked.

He accused the ruling government of carrying out the "most heinous massacre" and of misleading the public by blaming criminals while those responsible were, in fact, their own countrymen. "Such things should not happen in a free country," he remarked.

Hossain also noted that for the past 15 years, people have been unable to vote properly, with widespread election fraud. He stated that Sheikh Hasina should have understood her and her party's unpopularity, and questioned who would be held accountable for the bloodshed. He criticized the severe lack of good governance, which he believes Sheikh Hasina failed to provide.

Furthermore, he alleged that Sheikh Hasina has created criminal gangs within the country and turned the police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) into her personal enforcers.

Reflecting on the plight of the family members of the so-called Father of the Nation, he questioned why they had to face such a tragic fate, attributing it to Hasina's arrogance and pride. He drew a parallel with the 2009 BDR mutiny, where 57 army officers were killed, and questioned who would answer for that incident as well.

He criticised Sheikh Hasina's control over TV media and her suppression of free speech, citing it as a reason he avoided talk shows. He claimed he had urged the Prime Minister in various meetings to ensure good governance, but was labelled as an 'agent of the opposition' for his criticisms.

"Today, Sheikh Hasina has fled the country, and now the army has had to take responsibility for the nation's situation," he concluded.​

 

[Bilal9]

Sheikh Hasina was a classic autocrat: M Sakhawat Hossain
Published :
Aug 05, 2024 22:03
Updated :
Aug 05, 2024 22:03


View attachment 7402
Sheikh Hasina was a classic autocrat who dismissed the people, and this disdain has led to her current predicament, according to Brigadier General (Retd) M. Sakhawat Hossain, an election analyst and former military officer. In a special interview with UNB news agency over the phone, he expressed these views.
He stated that today's events were inevitable and were bound to happen. "We have seen similar situations in Tunisia, Libya, and Syria. Popular uprisings are unstoppable. The student quota reform movement could have been resolved easily, but due to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's stubbornness, so many people lost their lives."

Hossain criticised the media's portrayal of the casualties, claiming that the true number is closer to 400, with a significant portion being students and young people. He questioned the whereabouts of the remaining bodies, mass graves, and the extent of innocent lives lost. "She has gone, but who will answer for this?" he asked.

He accused the ruling government of carrying out the "most heinous massacre" and of misleading the public by blaming criminals while those responsible were, in fact, their own countrymen. "Such things should not happen in a free country," he remarked.

Hossain also noted that for the past 15 years, people have been unable to vote properly, with widespread election fraud. He stated that Sheikh Hasina should have understood her and her party's unpopularity, and questioned who would be held accountable for the bloodshed. He criticized the severe lack of good governance, which he believes Sheikh Hasina failed to provide.

Furthermore, he alleged that Sheikh Hasina has created criminal gangs within the country and turned the police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) into her personal enforcers.

Reflecting on the plight of the family members of the so-called Father of the Nation, he questioned why they had to face such a tragic fate, attributing it to Hasina's arrogance and pride. He drew a parallel with the 2009 BDR mutiny, where 57 army officers were killed, and questioned who would answer for that incident as well.

He criticised Sheikh Hasina's control over TV media and her suppression of free speech, citing it as a reason he avoided talk shows. He claimed he had urged the Prime Minister in various meetings to ensure good governance, but was labelled as an 'agent of the opposition' for his criticisms.

"Today, Sheikh Hasina has fled the country, and now the army has had to take responsibility for the nation's situation," he concluded.​

One can surmise more or less directly - that all her classic autocrat moves were taught to her by the intelligence agency of the entity next door who ensured her survival. She could not figure out these moves by herself, credit should be attributed to professionals.

 

[Saif]

One can surmise more or less directly - that all her classic autocrat moves were taught to her by the intelligence agency of the entity next door who ensured her survival. She could not figure out these moves by herself, credit should be attributed to professionals.

Our army has the duty of dismantling the wide spread network of RAW to save the nation from sabotage and anarchy. India is an enemy country and should be dealt with iron fist.

 

[Saif]

Hasina destroyed Bangabandhu’s legacy: Prof Yunus

"Bangladesh is liberated… We are a free country now, said Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus

www.thedailystar.net

Hasina destroyed Bangabandhu's legacy: Prof Yunus

Sheikh Hasina, who was forced to resign as prime minister of Bangladesh yesterday amidst massive civil unrest in the country, destroyed the legacy of her father Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, told The Print.

Speaking to ThePrint minutes after Hasina left Bangladesh, Yunus, who has been charged by the Hasina government in over 190 cases, said, "Bangladesh is liberated… We are a free country now."

"We were an occupied country as long as she (Hasina) was there. She was behaving like an occupation force, a dictator, a general, controlling everything. Today all the people of Bangladesh feel liberated."

Yunus was convicted by the Hasina-led government in January for violating the country's labour laws and is currently out on bail.

The Nobel Laureate said this is like a second liberation for the people of Bangladesh and there is celebration all over the country. "They are feeling the sense of liberation and joy that we can start all over again….We wanted to do it in the first round when we became independent in 1971. And we missed it because of all the problems we have right now. We now want to make a fresh start and create a beautiful country for ourselves. That's the commitment we make and students and young people will be leading our future," he said.

Asked about vandalism by protesters, who tried to damage a statue of Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka and stormed the parliament building, Yunus said that it's an expression of the "damage she (Hasina) has done".

"It says what they feel about Hasina, what she did to herself and her father… it's not the fault of the young people who are doing this," he said.

Yunus, founder of the pioneering microfinance system that lifted millions of poor out of poverty in Bangladesh, ruled out any role in active politics. "I'm not the kind of person who would like to be in politics. Politics is not my cup of tea," he maintained.

Currently in Paris, he said he would soon return to Bangladesh and continue to work for the people the way he did earlier.

"I will continue with my work in a more free environment that I didn't have during the regime of Sheikh Hasina because she was always attacking me. I will continue, devote myself to the things I could not do before," he said.​

 

[Saif]

শত শত কোটি টাকার মালিক হাছান মাহমুদ

 

[Saif]

Dhaka Wasa MD Taqsem A Khan resigns

Wasa sources said he submitted his resignation via email yesterday

www.thedailystar.net

Dhaka Wasa MD Taqsem A Khan resigns

Taqsem A Khan

Taqsem A Khan, the managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), has resigned from his post.

Wasa sources said he submitted his resignation via email yesterday.

According to Wasa sources, Taqsem cited health-related issues as the reason for his "inability to continue" in his role as the managing director.

When The Daily Star reporter called Wasa Chairman Professor Sujit Kumar Bala for his comment in this regard, he repeatedly rejected the calls.

Taqsem was first appointed as the managing director of Dhaka Wasa in 2009. His tenure was extended multiple times, with the latest extension in August of last year, when he was appointed for the seventh time for an additional three years.

Since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's resignation on August 5, Taqsem had not been seen at his office. It remains unclear whether he is still in the country or left for abroad.

Despite severe criticism from various quarters regarding Wasa services, Taqsem, who is a US citizen along with his wife and children, had held onto his post.​

 

[Saif]

Dhaka wasa MD: Never-ending tenure of Taqsem ends!

Taqsem A Khan resigned as the managing director of Dhaka Wasa on Wednesday after being at the helm of the state-owned agency for nearly 15 years marked by many allegations of irregularities.

www.thedailystar.net

Dhaka wasa MD: Never-ending tenure of Taqsem ends!

Taqsem A Khan resigned as the managing director of Dhaka Wasa on Wednesday after being at the helm of the state-owned agency for nearly 15 years marked by many allegations of irregularities.

Taqsem resigned over an email, stating that health problems had rendered him unable to work.

The Local Government Division (LGD) yesterday issued an order mentioning that Taqsem's tenure has ended and AKM Sahid Uddin, a senior deputy managing director of Dhaka Wasa, would be the new managing director.

Taqsem was appointed Wasa MD on October 14, 2009. His tenure was extended for the seventh time on October 14, 2023.

There are allegations that Wasa supplied contaminated water and overspent funds on projects that did not bear fruit while Taqsem was at the helm.

Many say that the cost of Dhaka Wasa water increased 16 times because of him.

In May 2023, former Wasa chairman Gholam Mostofa wrote a letter to the LGD, highlighting the irregularities at Wasa.

The ministry then responded by promptly removing Mostafa from his post and keeping Taqsem, a US citizen, as the MD.

Mostafa told this newspaper at that time that Taqsem's monthly salary increased by 421 percent over the years and stood at Tk 6.25 lakh. Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, his salary was bumped by Tk 1.75 lakh.

Talking to reporters at his office yesterday, LGRD Adviser AF Hassan Ariff said, "The stories of his corruption are known to people."

The corrupt individuals who used to surround Taqsem are still active, he said.

"We will take legal action against them," he added.

In 2019, Taqsem caused public outrage after saying that Wasa water was fully safe for drinking.

He made the claim at a press conference arranged to refute allegations made by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

TIB, after a year-long study titled "Dhaka Wasa: Challenges of Good Governance and Way Forward", revealed their findings in April 2019, mentioning how 91 percent of the 2,728 service recipients of Dhaka Wasa water had to boil the water to make it drinkable.

In the process, they burnt gas worth Tk 332 crore a year.

But many Dhaka dwellers are still buying dirty and smelly water, facing acute shortage of drinking water, being deprived of access to the sewerage network, and encountering the same old water logging.

Mizanur Rahman, a resident of Jurain's Mistir Dokan area, said many of around two lakh residents of Purba Jurain are still facing similar problems and some do not even have running water.

Mizanur is one of a few hundred residents from Jurain, Shyampur, Madhya Badda, Rampura and Tejgaon who demonstrated in front of the Wasa's Karwan Bazar headquarters on April 23, 2019.

The image of him carrying a jug full of dirty water as a sarcastic gift of "sherbet" to Taqsem is still fresh in the minds of Dhaka residents.

Mizanur and several others held a human chain in front of Wasa yesterday demanding that Taqsem be arrested and punished.

The city dwellers did not get the benefit of Wasa's treatment plants due to absence of a supply network, experts say.

Widespread corruption and delays in project implementation also plagued Wasa, said a report of the Anti-Corruption Commission in July 2019.

The ACC report said Wasa kept extending deadlines and increasing the costs of projects to create room for corruption.

Corruption and irregularities also took place during the selection of consultants and contractors during revenue collection and overtime bill disbursements, said the report.

Manual metre reading is also an area where cartels have been formed to misappropriate money and deny the government its revenue, said the report that identified eight projects and three areas in Dhaka where corruption took place, and made a 12-point recommendation to prevent graft.​

 

[Saif]

Former land minister amasses huge wealth and property in US and Dubai

Former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and his wife Rukhmila Zaman Chowdhury have amassed huge wealth and property in the United States and in Dubai. They have huge sums of money deposited in foreign banks. Neither Saifuzzaman nor any member of his family have taken permission from...

en.prothomalo.com

Former land minister amasses huge wealth and property in US and Dubai
Shanaullah SakibDhaka
Updated: 13 Aug 2024, 13: 30

Former land minister amasses huge wealth and property in US and Dubai

Former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and his wife Rukhmila Zaman Chowdhury have amassed huge wealth and property in the United States and in Dubai. They have huge sums of money deposited in foreign banks. Neither Saifuzzaman nor any member of his family have taken permission from Bangladesh Bank to take money abroad, giving rise to questions about this huge wealth amassed overseas.

Bangladesh Bank’s Financial Intelligence Unit has asked the banks within the country to freeze all accounts of Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, his wife, children and their business establishments. No transactions can be carried out from these accounts over the next 30 days. The credit cards in their names cannot be used either. Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) issued these directives by letter yesterday.

Rukhmila Zaman Chowdhury is the chairman of the private sector United Commercial Bank (UCB). Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed had been land minister of the Awami League government in 2018-23. But after the media flashed news of his huge wealth abroad before the election last year, he was not made minister in the last government.

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and Rukhmila Zaman Chowdhury are reportedly both out of the country at present and so their statements regarding the wealth they have built up in the US and Dubai could not be availed. However, in March this year Saifuzzaman Chowdhury told a press conference that his father had business in London back in 1967. He himself had studied in the US and has been doing business there since 1991. He later expanded his business to the UK. He has income tax records there too. He said he had taken bank loans for his overseas business.

Assets abroad

Bangladesh Bank records reveal that Saifuzzaman Chowdhury opened a company by the name of Rapid Raptor FZE in the UAE in 2014 and another company Zeba Trading FZE in 2015. Rapid Raptor FZE is registered as a computer and software company and Zeba Trading for sales of construction material. Saifuzzaman has banks accounts with Dubai Islamic Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Janata Bank Dubai branch. A total amount of 39,583 dirham and 6,670 dollars is deposited in these accounts. From 2017 till last month, Saifuzzaman Chowdhury bought and sold 226 properties in the UAE.

Two properties was bought on 15 September and 30 November 2023 in the name of Rukhmila Zaman in Dubai’s Al Barsha South 3. These properties are worth 2,250,369 dirham equivalent to 75 million taka (7.5 crore) in Bangladeshi currency.

Visiting Dubai in March last year, this Prothom Alo correspondent found that Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and his family had amassed wealth there. Their five-star hotel was under construction there in the Business Bay are of this important and expensive commercial city of the Middle East.

BFIU also found evidence of their assets in the US. From 8 March to 10 December 2021 a total of 45,340 US dollars was deposited in the US-based TD Bank. The money was deposited through First Abu Dhabi Bank and HSBC Bank. Some money was deposited from a US company Capital World Maritime Limited.

Also, 1,765,000 US dollars was deposited to the First American Title Insurance Company on behalf of Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s company Aramit Properties LLC and GTS Properties LLC. Over a span of time from 2005, nine properties were bought there through Nahar Management Inc which was connected to Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. This information was available in BFIU records. Aramit Properties LLC, GTS LLC and Nahar Management Inc are all US-based companies.

BFIU officials say that so far they only have information on Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s assets in these two countries. But they think that he has much more assets than this in the UK.

Before the last election, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has said at a press conference, a certain minister has over 23 billion taka in investments and business overseas. Later this minister was identified as Saifuzzaman Chowdhury. It was learnt that the former minister had opened companies in the name of his wife Rukhmila Zaman and daughter Zeba Zaman. He also opened a company overseas in the name of his family business Aramit Group. During a press conference last March Saifuzzaman Chowdhury admitted having business and property in London.

Was UCB the source of funds?

After the fall of the government, over 150 shareholders of United Commercial Bank demanded that the bank be freed from the control of the former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and his family. They took up position in from for the UCB head office in Gulshan on Thursday, voicing this demand. They displayed festoons and raised allegations of the former land minster siphoning off money overseas and other irregularities related to the bank.

In a letter sent to Bangladesh Bank, a number of shareholders of the bank said that even though Rukhmila Zaman was chairperson of the bank, it was Saifuzzaman Chowdhury who basically carried out this responsibility and the bank was sinking into bankruptcy due to his arbitrary actions and embezzlement. The letter stated that Saifuzzaman Chowdhury had assets worth 18.88 billion taka in the UK, paid for with the money embezzled from the bank’s depositors. The letter went on to say the bank had been made into a family business from 2017 and was faced with blatant looting, financial corruption and money laundering. As a result, default loans had mounted in the bank. In 2017 the bank’s default loans stood at 17.92 billion taka and in 2023 this increased to 27.82 billion taka.

Action must be taken so that no one launders money in future. Also, initiative must be taken to bring back the funds by making agreements with the countries where the money has been transferred.”

Mustafa K Mujeri , former chief economist, Bangladesh Bank

The late Awami League leader Akhteruzzaman Chowdhury of Chattogram, father of the former land minister, had been the founder chairman of UCB. Bank sources say that in 2017 the one of the major shareholders of the bank, family members of the Partex Group owners, were forced to drop out of UCB. Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s wife Rukhmila Zaman was then made the bank’s chairperson. As she was in the UK, the bank was basically run by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, the bank’s senior officials confirm.

When asked about the matter, Bangladesh Bank’s former chief economist Mustafa K Mujeri told Prothom Alo, “Everyone knows that the powerful persons have siphoned out money. That is why the dollar crunch in the country has been on for so long. A lot of money was laundered by forceful takeover of banks. The main task now is to identify those responsible and take action against them. Such action must be taken so that no one launders money in future. Also, initiative must be taken to bring back the funds by making agreements with the countries where the money has been transferred.”​