Shajahan Khan does big business in 10 years as minister

The business income of Awami League leader and Minister of Shipping Shajahan Khan has increased 178-fold increase in the past ten years during his tenure as the shipping minister.

Khan, who is a ‘politician and businessman’, took home an annual income of Tk 170,000 before he became a minister.

Along with the increase in business, the Madaripur MP has increased his fixed and liquid assets 14-fold.

Shajahan Khan, who is also the acting president of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers’ Federation, is contesting the 11th national election again from Madaripur-2 seat as an Awami League candidate.

The growth of income and wealth is evident by comparing his latest earnings affidavit with the ones he submitted to the Election Commission in 2008 and 2014.

In the affidavit he submitted for the 9th national election, Khan noted an income of Tk 685,000 per annum. It included Tk 15,000 from house rent paid by tenants, Tk 170,000 from business and Tk 500,000 from ‘other’ sources.

Five years later, his income from business slumped down to almost zero as shown in his affidavit in 2013. He did not earn any rent either.

His affidavit showed Tk 1.7 million, which included savings certificates, company shares, interest generated from bank deposits and honorarium allowances as MP and minister.

This year’s affidavit shows Khan earning Tk 33.3 million per annum with Tk 33 million from his business.

He earns Tk 239,000 per annum by renting houses, apartment and shops; Tk 291,000 from savings certificates, company shares, while interest from bank deposits and honorarium allowances amount to Tk 2.4 million.

The analysis shows Shajahan Khan had a 2.5 times increase in his total income during the first five years being a minister and a 19 times increase in the later five years.