Bangladesh court orders freeze on 617 bank accounts of Shahid, family

A Dhaka court has ordered banks to freeze 617 accounts that belong to MP Kazi Shahid Islam Papul and his family members who are facing charges of money laundering and human trafficking.

It also ordered the authorities to seize 92 registered properties of Shahid and his family.

Judge KM Imrul Kayes issued the order on Sunday, following the hearing of a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission accusing Shahid of amassing illegal wealth and money laundering.

The court also ordered the freezing of 53 bank accounts of Shahid and his company over a money laundering case filed by the Criminal Investigation Department with Paltan Police Station.

Lawyer Mahmud Hossain Jahangir represented the ACC, while Additional Public Prosecutor Tapas Pal was the state counsel.

ACC Deputy Director Salahuddin filed the money laundering case against Shahid and three others on Nov 11.

The others named in the case are Shahid's wife Salina Islam, sister-in-law Jasmine Pradhan and daughter Wafa Islam.

They were accused of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 23 million and laundering Tk 1.48 billion.

The other case has been filed by Assistant Police Superintendent Al Amin Hossain of Organised Crime Unit of the CID  on Dec 22.

Shahid's sister-in-law Jasmine Pradhan, daughter Wafa Islam, brother Kazi Badrul Alam Liton, aide Mohammed Sadiqur Rahman Monir, Jasmine's company Leelabali and six others were named in the case.

The accused have amassed a minimum of Tk 382 million through illegal means and parked the funds in bank accounts, assets and businesses in a bid to conceal the sources of income, according to the case dossier.

Lakshmipur MP Papul was arrested in Kuwait on Jun 6. The Kuwait authorities filed a case against him for human trafficking, money laundering and torturing his company workers. The verdict is set for Jan 28.