[🇧🇩] The fate of big guns/beneficiaries of Awami League after the student revolution

[Saif]

Court bars former Awami League ministers Nanak, Tajul from leaving country

A Dhaka court has issued a travel ban on former jute and textile minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, his wife Syeda Arjuman Banu, and their daughter S Amreen Rakhi. A similar restriction has also been imposed on AB Tajul Islam, former state minister for Liberation War affairs. The orders were passed o

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Court bars former Awami League ministers Nanak, Tajul from leaving country

Published :
May 18, 2025 21:24
Updated :
May 18, 2025 21:24

A Dhaka court has issued a travel ban on former jute and textile minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak, his wife Syeda Arjuman Banu, and their daughter S Amreen Rakhi.

A similar restriction has also been imposed on AB Tajul Islam, former state minister for Liberation War affairs.

The orders were passed on Sunday by Dhaka’s Senior Metropolitan Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib, following petitions submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), reports bdnews24.com.

According to ACC spokesperson Akhtarul Islam, the petition was filed by ACC Director Jalal Uddin Ahmed.

According to the petition, there is a risk that Nanak and his family might flee the country, which could obstruct legal proceedings in the ongoing case.

A separate petition was submitted by ACC Assistant Director Habibur Rahman to bar Tajul from leaving the country, citing an ongoing investigation into allegations of illegal wealth accumulation.

The ACC argued that Tajul may attempt to evade justice by leaving the country at any time.

On Jan 15, the ACC filed a case against Nanak, Arjuman, and Rakhi, accusing them of laundering Tk 2.6 billion through a telecom company.

According to the case statement, Arjuman and Rakhi previously served as chairperson and director of Ratul Telecom Limited. During their tenure, they allegedly laundered approximately Tk 2.6 billion using Nanak’s influence.​

 

[Saif]

Freeze accounts of ex-Rajuk chair, ex-BGB DG, wife: courts

The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge on Monday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission to freeze 13 beneficiary owner accounts of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha former chairman Md Siddiqur Rahman Sarker and his wife...

www.newagebd.net

Freeze accounts of ex-Rajuk chair, ex-BGB DG, wife: courts
Staff Correspondent 19 May, 2025, 21:43

Mohammad Shafeenul Islam | Collected photo

The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge on Monday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission to freeze 13 beneficiary owner accounts of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha former chairman Md Siddiqur Rahman Sarker and his wife Gazi Rebeka Rowsun for their alleged involvement in corruption.

The court also issued travel ban on the Criminal Investigation Department’s former chief Mohammad Ali Mia and Northern University of Bangladesh’s trustee board chairman professor Abu Yusuf Md Abdullah over graft allegations.

Judge Md Jakir Hossain of the court passed the orders following separate petitions submitted by the ACC.

The court ordered ACC to freeze 13 beneficiary owner accounts of Rajuk former chairman Siddiqur and his wife Rebeka responding to a petition submitted by ACC director Md Abul Hasnat.

According to the allegations, Siddiqur, during his tenure as the chairman of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, amassed huge illegal wealth in the names of himself and his family members through corruption.

The Awami League regime in April 2024 appointed Siddiqur as RAJUK chairman for a two-year term.

After the fall of the AL regime on August 5, 2024, the interim government on September 19, 2024 canceled his appointment.

The interim government on September 22 reinstated him to the post.

In March this year, the government again canceled his appointment.

The court on Monday issued a travel ban on NUB chairman, professor Abu Yusuf Md Abdullah, and his family members responding to a petition submitted by ACC assistant director Sajidur Roman.

Yusuf’s other family members who are facing the travel ban are Yusuf’s wife Halima Sultana, his son Saad Al Jabir Abdullah, daughter Labiba Abdullah, and another family member Habibun Nahar.

On May 13, the ACC initiated an inquiry into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth by NUB’s trustee board chairman professor Abu Yusuf Md Abdullah and his family members.

The court also imposed a travel ban on CID’s former chief Mohammad Ali Mia over graft allegations.

The anti-graft body in its plea told the court that ACC was conducting an inquiry into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth by Mohammad Ali Mia, also a former additional inspector general of police.

‘The accused is trying to flee the country and if he succeeds in doing so, the inquiry can be hampered,’ the ACC petition added.

Judge Md Jakir Hossain also ordered the ACC to freeze eight more bank accounts of former director general of Border Guard Bangladesh retired major general Mohammad Shafeenul Islam and his wife Soma Islam.

ACC deputy director Monirul Islam in his petition said that it was conducting an inquiry into the allegations of amassing huge illegal wealth by Shafeenul and his family members by abusing power and corruption.

On January 23, the same court ordered the ACC to freeze 56 bank accounts of Mohammad Shafeenul Islam, his wife Soma Islam and son Samin Islam.

Shafeenul Islam was the 22nd DG of the BGB and served as the border force chief between March 20, 2018 and February 28, 2022.​

 

[Saif]

ACC summons Bashundhara Group chairman, family for questioning

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family members for questioning over allegations of land grabbing, embezzlement of loan funds, and money laundering. In a letter sent on Tuesday, they were asked to appear at the ACC Headquarters

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

ACC summons Bashundhara Group chairman, family for questioning
bdnews24.com
Published :
May 20, 2025 21:08
Updated :
May 20, 2025 21:08

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family members for questioning over allegations of land grabbing, embezzlement of loan funds, and money laundering.

In a letter sent on Tuesday, they were asked to appear at the ACC Headquarters in Dhaka’s Segunbagicha on May 25 and 26.

The agency’s Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain confirmed the development, according to a press release.

The letter says the national anti-graft agency intends to record their statements in connection with an investigation into allegations of “tax evasion, land grabbing, misappropriation of loan funds, transfer and siphoning of money, and money laundering” involving Sobhan, his family members, and associates.

Sobhan, his wife Afroza Begum, their eldest son Sadat Sobhan, and Sadat’s wife Sonia Ferdousi Sobhan have been summoned for May 25.

On May 26, the ACC will quiz Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir, his wife Sabrina Sobhan, Co-Chairman Sadat, Vice-Chairmen Shafiat Sobhan (Sanvir) and Safwan Sobhan along with Safwan’s wife Yasha Sobhan.

Following the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, 2024, multiple state agencies launched inquiries into alleged irregularities and corrupt practices by major business beneficiaries of the previous regime.

The National Board of Revenue’s Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) opened separate investigations into five conglomerates, including Bashundhara, and sent letters to banks and financial institutions asking for transaction details of their owners and relatives.

In October last year, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) froze the bank accounts of Sobhan and his four sons.

That same month, a court imposed a travel ban on eight members of the Sobhan family following a plea by the ACC.

Separately, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) announced in September that it had opened an investigation into Sobhan, his son Anvir, and other affiliates over alleged land grabs worth Tk 1.5 trillion and money laundering.​

 

[Saif]

Court issues travel ban on actress Shaon, 11 others

A Dhaka court on Thursday issued a travel ban on actress Meher Afroz Shaon, former Detective Branch chief Harun-Or-Rashid and 10 others in an attempted murder case. Judge of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sanaullah passed the order in the presence of two of the accused, said the

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Court issues travel ban on actress Shaon, 11 others
Published :
May 22, 2025 19:51
Updated :
May 22, 2025 19:51

A Dhaka court on Thursday issued a travel ban on actress Meher Afroz Shaon, former Detective Branch chief Harun-Or-Rashid and 10 others in an attempted murder case.

Judge of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sanaullah passed the order in the presence of two of the accused, said the court’s bench assistant Parvez Sumon, reports UNB.

The rest of the accused face travel ban include Shaon’s father engineer Md Ali, sister Mahin Afroz Shinjan, former Dhaka Metropolitan’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Nazmul Islam, police inspector Saiful Islam, sub inspectors Shah Alam and Mokhlesur Rahman Milon, four others Sejuti, Sabbir, Subrata Das and Maniul Hossain.

Of them, Saiful and Shah Alam were present at the court.

Earlier on April 22, the court issued arrest warrant for the accused.

On March 13, Shaon’s step-mother Nishi Islam filed the case on charge of beating up and attempting to murder her against the accused with a Dhaka court.

According to the case statement, on February 21 last year accused Md Ali married Nishi Islam concealing his previous marriage, family and alluring her of wealth.

Later, the victim came to know about the previous marriage and one son, three daughters of Md Ali.

On March 4 later year, the accused dragged her out of the house of Ali when she went to it in Gulshan.

On the next day, Shaon and police official Nazmul went to the victim’s house where Shaon beat her up when she refused to sign on a blank paper.

On April 24, police inspector Shah Alam called her to the DB office where Shaon and other accused also beat her.​

 

[Saif]

Bad loans of 10 groups under probe hit Tk 51,663cr

The amount of the defaulted loans of 10 influential business groups — with close ties to the fallen Awami League-led government and currently under joint investigation — has so far climbed to Tk 51,663 crore, out of a total loan of Tk 3.56 lakh crore, according to...

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Bad loans of 10 groups under probe hit Tk 51,663cr
Mostafizur Rahman 24 May, 2025, 00:22

The amount of the defaulted loans of 10 influential business groups — with close ties to the fallen Awami League-led government and currently under joint investigation — has so far climbed to Tk 51,663 crore, out of a total loan of Tk 3.56 lakh crore, according to data from the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit and Bangladesh Bank as of December 2024.

Financial experts attributed the crisis to the unchecked lending, systemic regulatory failures, and the political shielding of borrowers — reasons now being uncovered as a result of investigations by the interim government.

In January 2025, the government formed a joint investigation team to probe large-scale financial crimes, including loan fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering tied to these 10 business groups and the family of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Each team includes officials from the Criminal Investigation Department, the National Board of Revenue, and the Anti-Corruption Commission, working under BFIU coordination.

The teams are also examining the financial records of key individuals behind the groups, many of whom have renounced Bangladeshi citizenship to escape legal action.

The 10 business groups under investigation are S Alam Group, Beximco Group, Nabil Group, Summit Group, Orion Group, Gemcon Group, Nassa Group, Bashundhara Group, Sikder Group, and Aramit Group.

The team has not yet found any loan in the name of Sheikh Hasina and family members.

Of the 10 groups, eight have officially defaulted on their loans.

The Beximco Group has emerged as the largest defaulter, with Tk 20,516 crore of its Tk 53,042 crore total loans in default.

The most complex and controversial case involves the S Alam Group, which holds Tk 2,25,029 crore in loans from 10 banks and one non-bank financial institution, with half of the loans reportedly issued under false or unidentifiable entities.

This group’s defaulted loans total Tk 11,850 crore at Janata Bank and Union Bank.

The Bashundhara Group follows with Tk 7,811 crore as defaulted loans out of its total loan of Tk 34,938 crore.

The Nabil Group holds Tk 7,000 crore in defaulted loan against its total loan of Tk 9,405 crore, the third-highest.

The amount of loan that the Sikder Group defaulted is Tk 2,094 crore -- out of its total loan of Tk 10,233 crore, while the Orion Group has Tk 1,461 crore in defaulted loans against its total loans of Tk 10,012 crore.

Besides, companies linked to former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury have Tk 638 crore in defaulted loans out of the total Tk 1,107 crore in loans.

However, Bangladesh Bank officials said that Saifuzzaman may have secured a far greater volume of loans — potentially exceeding Tk 7,000 crore — by managing to receive unidentifiable loans using his influence over United Commercial Bank.

The Gemcon Group’s defaulted loans stand at Tk 193 crore while the group’s total borrowed volume is Tk 2,113 crore.

As part of a recent crackdown, the government has attached Tk 1,75,625 crore in assets linked to the 10 groups and the Hasina family, according to BFIU data.

The assets include Tk 1,30,758 crore in domestic immovable property, $164 million in foreign immovable assets, Tk 42,614.27 crore in frozen domestic movable assets, and $20.78 million in foreign movable assets, it said.

The assets also comprise shares in banks and listed companies to luxury real estate and large deposit holdings. Many of the key figures behind the defaults are either abroad or facing prosecution.

The Bangladesh Bank, with support from international partners, is pursuing recovery of foreign assets through Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties.

Central bank governor Ahsan H Mansur at a press conference on Monday said that while the legal process might take four to five years, several foreign governments had expressed their willingness to assist, provided Bangladesh meets the required legal standards.

The government aims to use the recovered assets to create a dedicated fund to recapitalise troubled banks, compensate affected depositors, and support social welfare initiatives for low-income communities, Mansur said.

The volume of non-performing loans across the banking sector surged by Tk 2 lakh crore, reaching Tk 3.45 lakh crore, by December 2024. Nearly 20 per cent of all outstanding loans — equivalent to Tk 17.11 lakh crore — are now classified as non-performing, the highest ratio in South Asia.

The explosion in defaulted loan is widely attributed to years of data manipulation and relaxed rescheduling policies under the previous AL government, which allowed politically connected borrowers to keep loans ‘regular’ on paper while draining banks of real capital.​