A Dhaka court on Thursday ordered the seizure of 518 properties in the United Kingdom owned by former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, following allegations of corruption.
The total value of the properties is estimated at £271.85 million.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Foyez issued the order in response to a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), said bench assistant of the court, Riaz Hossain.
ACC Deputy Director Md Moshiur Rahman submitted the application seeking seizure of the immovable assets abroad.
According to the petition, a nine-member taskforce comprising officials from the ACC, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the National Board of Revenue (NBR) was formed to investigate allegations of money laundering against Javed and his associates.
On September 21 last year, authorities raided a Chittagong residence and recovered 23 sacks of documentary evidence, including contracts, deeds, payment orders, cheques, vouchers, and original documents related to property acquisitions abroad. The materials were later transported to Dhaka for detailed review and analysis.
Investigators compiled a list of properties acquired in different countries, including the UK, prompting the court to order their seizure to prevent any transfer or disposal.
Javed served as state minister for land from 2014 to 2018 and as land minister from 2019 to 2023. Allegations of substantial assets abroad surfaced ahead of the 2024 parliamentary election.
