A question from a BNP lawmaker to the Leader of the House has apparently embarrassed her own party, when Sheikh Hasina divulged in the Jatiya Sangsad that Tarique Rahman’s Dandy Dyeing and five other industrial units, owned by BNP leaders, have bad debts of more than Tk3.22bn to Sonali Bank.
Replying to Nilufar Chowdhury Moni’s question about the amount of outstanding loans in state-owned banks, the prime minister said nine other industrial units owned by BNP leaders owed over Tk6.58bn in outstanding loans to 14 banks.
The premier’s written answer was tabled in parliament without discussion.
The script contained loan amounts of BNP leaders to private commercial banks as well as state-owned banks.
The PM, in her written answer, said state-owned Sonali Bank holds bad debts of Tk401.4m from Dandy Dyeing, jointly owned by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s eldest son Tarique Rahman, his brother Arafat Rahman, friend Giasuddin Al Mamun, maternal uncle Syed Iskander, and BNP leaders Mozaffar Ahmed and Nasrin Ahmed.
Five industrial units, owned by Giasuddin Al Mamun, have a cumulative bad debt of Tk3.81bn to AB Bank, Janata Bank, Prime Bank, Sonali Bank, Bank Asia, Dutch-Bangla Bank, Eastern Bank, Southeast Bank and City Bank.
Mamun’s industrial units Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury’s Bengal Fish and Frog Leg’s Precast Industries, Khamba, One Spinning Mills, One Denim, One Spinning Mills – have outstanding loans of Tk244.5m to state-owned Janata Bank.
Former BNP legislator MA Hashem’s Ambar Cotton Mills might owe Tk3.77bn for a ”suspected” loan from Sonali Bnak.
Former minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury’s Bengal Fish and Frog Leg’s outstanding loan from Sonali Bank stands at Tk52.9m, according to the list.
The outstanding loans of three more units owned by Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury – Mihir Garments, Hotel Sarina and Alpha Packages BD –--to Premier bank stands at Tk301.7m.
Three companies – Pacific Motors, Noyapara Tea Company and Pacific Industries—owned by former foreign minister Morshed Khan – owed Tk214.7m to IFIC Bank, Bangladesh Krishi Bank, HSBC and Standard Chartard Bank, the list says.