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

Date of Event: Nov 11, 2024

Source: https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/sheikh-hasina-was-a-classic-autocrat-m-sakhawat-hossain

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.​

 

[Saif]

S Alam, family withdrew Tk 500m even after fall of Awami League govt

S Alam Group’s chief Saiful Alam and his family members withdrew money from Union Bank even after the fall of Awami League government.

en.prothomalo.com

S Alam, family withdrew Tk 500m even after fall of Awami League govt
Shanaullah Sakib
Dhaka
Published: 29 Oct 2024, 13: 24

S Alam Group’s head Saiful Alam and his family members withdrew money from Union Bank even after the fall of Awami League government. Besides, they transferred money from their bank accounts to the accounts of other persons and other banks. Thus they withdrew around Tk 500 million from the Union Bank after Awami League government's fall.

This was revealed in an inspection report of Bangladesh Bank. S Alam Group was in control of Union Bank when this withdrawal of money took place. Bangladesh Bank on 27 August dissolved the board of directors of the bank to appoint independent directors. It also imposed a ban on withdrawal of money by the S Alam family.

According to the BB report Union Bank extended Tk 172.3 billion (17,229 crore) in loans to 247 entities affiliated with S Alam Group. This amount makes up 62 per cent of the bank's total lending. The 247 entities provided the loans did not repay the money to the bank. Meanwhile, 76 per cent of total manpower of the bank is from Chattogram, S Alam’s hometown, who were recruited in the bank without any entry test. As a result, despite dissolution of the board, the Union Bank continues to be operated by the people connected with S Alam Group.

Union Bank was controlled by S Alam Group since its inception in 2013. The chairman of the group Saiful Alam was very close to the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina. After the fall of the Awami League government in the student uprising, Bangladesh Bank freed nine banks from the control of S Alam Group.

Meanwhile, Union Bank's managing director (MD) ABM Mokammel Haque Chowdhury has gone into hiding with allegations of various financial crimes. Before that, he withdrew all his money from the bank. Some other officials of this bank are also in hiding.

How much money the Alam's withdrew
According to the report, on 11 August, Saiful Alam transferred money from Union Bank's Muradpur and Bandartila branches to his Khatunganj account under the name of S Alam & Co. The same day, Tk 42 million was transferred to Russell Enterprises at the Chittagong DT Road branch and Tk 40 million to a company called Crobe Trading in the Bahaddarhat branch client.

On 8 and 14 August, Tk 80 million was transferred from the account of Rashedul Alam, S Alam’s brother, at the Kadamtali branch and re-deposited the money under the names Azizunnesa and Rashedul Karim Choudhury. On 28 August, S Alam’s brother-in-law Arshad Mahmud withdrew Tk 42.2 million of term deposit before maturity and transferred the money to other banks through pay-order.

According to the BB report Ansarul Alam linked to S Alam Group withdrew Tk 150 million from OR Nizam Road branch on 20 August and transferred under the names of Rokeya Begum and Hasna Hena. On 18 August, a person named Golam Sarowar Chowdhury withdrew his time deposit worth Tk 32.6 million and transferred it to S Alam Cold Rolled Steel Mill account.

On 11 August, S Alam’s associate company Top Ten Trading House withdrew Tk 122.9 million out of Tk 322.7 million from Khatunganj, Agrabad, and Muradpur branches. The remaining funds were deposited in accounts in the names of different individuals at the Agrabad and Muradpur branches. Top Ten Trading House is not repaying a loan of Tk 605.6 million in the bank’s Gulshan branch.

62pc of loans went to S Alam

According to the BB data, Union Bank’s loan was Tk 273.83 billion (27,383 crore) last June. Of the amount, 62 per cent or Tk 172.3 billion (17,229 crore) was sanctioned to S Alam Group and entities linked to it.

The central bank said S Alam Group took loans in the names of 247 entities. Henceforth no money was deposited in the accounts of these entities. A customer of Dhaka’s Panthapath branch was given Tk 1.18 billion without permission from the head office. Most of the institutions in the name of which S Alam took loans are not traceable. The mobile numbers used have also been blocked.

Loans can be granted up to 80 per cent of any termed deposit but the Union Bank gave a loan of Tk 8.53 billion against deposit of Tk 790 million. Besides, it granted loan of Tk 11.75 billion against fake deposits.

On 24 September, Bangladesh Bank's inspection team said in a letter sent to the bank's MD, “S Alam Group's debt to Union Bank is about Tk 180 billion, most of which are fictitious transactions. There is not enough collateral against these loans.”

Meanwhile, the bank is now suffering from liquidity crisis. Cash transactions are suspended in many branches of the bank. The new board is also not able to take any initiative.

Farid Uddin Ahmed, Union Bank’s chairman, told Prothom Alo, “We are constantly trying to improve the situation of the bank through supervision. Only when the central bank gives the final report will it be clear who has taken how much money.”

76pc manpower from Chattogram

As per the BB inspection report 76 per cent manpower of the bank is from Chattogram and they were recruited without any examination. S Alam hails from Chattogram’s Patiya.

The inspection report said although the board was dissolved on 27 August, senior officials and manpower recruited at different layers by the former board are still in place. These senior officials are directly linked with withdrawal of money through various tricks.​

 

[Saif]

CID begins inquiry against ex-land minister Saifuzzaman

The Criminal Investigation Department of the police has started an inquiry against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury over allegations of laundering money to the United States, the...

www.newagebd.net

CID begins inquiry against ex-land minister Saifuzzaman
Staff Correspondent 31 October, 2024, 18:48

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury | Collected photo

The Criminal Investigation Department of the police has started an inquiry against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury over allegations of laundering money to the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.

The Financial Crime Unit of CID received information and allegations from different sources that Saifuzzaman accumulated huge wealth and bought properties by laundering money from Bangladesh, according to a press release issued by CID on Thursday.

CID began the inquiry against Saifuzzaman and the people and organisations connected with him under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012.

The investigation agency said that the Bangladesh Bank had allowed 21 organisations to invest in foreign countries. The names of the former minister and his family members were not included in that list.

Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, also a former AL lawmaker for Chattogram-13 constituency, bought 620 houses worth $48 crore in the US, UK and UAE between 2016 and 2021.

Between 2010 and 2023, the former land minister opened eight organisations for business purposes in the UK and UAE in the names of his and his wife Rukhmila Zaman. The companies are worth over $21.72 crore, the CID release said.

It said that the ex-land minister opened an organisation named Nahar Management Incorporated in the US in 2005 and bought nine apartments in the US since then.

The former minister opened two organisations in Dubai – the Rapid Rafter FGE and the Jeba Trading FGE – for business purposes and his

wife bought two apartments worth over AED 22.50 lakh at Q Gardens and Butik Residence.

The CID has found that the former minister did not share anything in the candidate’s affidavit to the Election Commission about the properties in foreign countries.

On September 18, the Anti-Corruption Commission started an inquiry against Saifuzzaman Chowdhury over the allegations of laundering money to the United Kingdom and amassing illegal wealth.

On August 12, Bangladesh Bank’s Financial Intelligence Unit froze the bank accounts of the former land minister and his wife. Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera reported that Saifuzzaman, then a minister for land affairs and a close ally of the now deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, bought over 360 luxury properties worth $250m in Britain alone.

It claimed that the former minister’s appetite for real estate spread to Dubai, New York, Singapore, and Malaysia.

The report available online mentioned that his property buying gained pace in 2017 when he had set up his UK companies, and it accelerated in 2019 when he became a minister.​

 

[Saif]

Repatriating stolen money is hard, but doable: US Charge dáffaires

US Charge dáffaires Helen LaFave said the US was already supporting Bangladesh with advice and other assistance to help recover the money and bring it back to Bangladesh.

en.prothomalo.com

Repatriating stolen money is hard, but doable: US Charge dáffaires
Prothom Alo English Desk
Published: 31 Oct 2024, 18: 28

US Charge dáffaires Helen LaFave and chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka on 30 October 2024. Courtesy

She also said that the US was already supporting Bangladesh with advice and other assistance to help recover the money and bring it back to Bangladesh.

LaFave said this on Thursday while paying a farewell call on chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, stated a press release of the chief adviser's press wing.

In response to that the chief adviser said, "We will definitely make it happen."

During the meeting, the acting US envoy told Dr Yunus that the US was expediting resettlement of the Rohingyas from the Bangladesh camp to the North American nation.

Their talks also covered judicial reforms, South Asian electricity connectivity, counterterrorism, efforts to repatriate tens of billions of dollars stolen from Bangladesh during the dictatorship, reforms in civil bureaucracy, and labour issues.

Professor Yunus said his government was also committed to carrying out sweeping labour reforms.

The chief adviser praised LaFave for her service as a top diplomat and appreciated her sincere efforts to advance Bangladesh-US relations at a crucial time.

"I am very proud to witness history," Helen LaFave said as she recounted her memories during the student-led mass uprising in July-August. The US Charge d'Affaires at the time handed over a letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Dr Yunus.

She said a number of senior US officials would visit Bangladesh in the next few months in an effort to cement ties between the two friendly nations.​

 

[Sharma Ji]

How likely are BD intel to put her on a hit-list ? Like take her our proper, on foreign (Indian?) soil using their NSI Jamesul Bond-uddin type spies ?

 

[Sharma Ji]

In case there's no route to extradition, sure doesn't look it like atm anyway.