The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has directed all scheduled banks to send account details of a score of influential persons including a ruling party lawmaker, a controversial Jubo League leader and their wives, and two former top government officials.
The objective of scanning their bank accounts is to look out for dubious transactions relating to money laundering and tax evasion, if any.
BFIU Chief Abu Hena Mohd Razee Hassan said that banks have already been served orders to comply.
Accounts being investigated are of - Awami League lawmaker from Bhola 3 Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon, his wife Farzana Chowdhury Ratna, Jubo League’s Dhaka south unit President Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, and his wife (name unavailable), and former chief engineer and additional chief engineer of Public Works Department (PWD) Rafiqul Islam and Abdul Hai, respectively.
Meanwhile, the government yesterday asked the Immigration Police to remain alert so that Samrat cannot flee the country.
Police Headquarters yesterday sent the letter, which was circulated to all airports and land ports across Bangladesh.
It has been alleged that Samrat, is the gang leader of Dhaka’s illegally-run casinos, and is trying to save himself from legal action by keeping himself confined inside his office in Kakrail since September 18, when Rapid Action Battalion launched a crackdown against illegal casinos in Dhaka.
Police officials said action will be taken against Samrat if evidence of his involvement in illegal casino businesses is established.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday also said measures will be taken against his party’s leaders involved in the casino businesses after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returns home.
Razee Hassan said the BFIU served necessary orders on banks in response to requests from law enforcement agencies and the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
He said more names are coming up for dubious transactions, if any, in their bank accounts.
He, however, declined to disclose the names, but hinted they included political personalities and government officials.
The scanning of their bank accounts came following a government sponsored drive conducted by security officials from September 18 to nab drug lords and casino operators and their godfathers.
In the massive drive, RAB picked up Jubo League’s Dhaka south unit Organizing Secretary Khalid Mahmud Bhuiyan and central Cooperative Secretary GK Shamim. They were later placed on remand for seven and 10 days, respectively.
The BFIU has confiscated all bank accounts of the duo and their family members in money laundering cases filed by RAB.
The connections
Ruling party lawmaker Shawon and his wife Farzana own a construction firm named Nawal Construction Ltd, a registered member of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh.
The law enforcement agencies also smell Samrat’s ties to illegal casino business.
On the other hand, law enforcement agencies have found government enlisted contractor GK Shamim's link with former PWD officials Rafiqul and Hai in making huge amounts of money illegally through collusive practices.
It is also reported that the two PWD engineers have embezzled huge public money in the name of development works.
Of the duo, Rafiqul has laundered allegedly hundreds of crores of taka abroad to buy a house and found business establishments, sources said.
Additional reporting by Arifur Rahman Rabbi
