Aramit AGM Jahangir ‘confesses’ to aiding ex-land minister in moving funds abroad

Court hears Tk 17.6 million withdrawn via 11 cheques was pooled for illegal foreign transfers

Jahangir Alam, assistant general manager of Aramit PLC, has given a “confessional statement” in court, detailing how funds were allegedly laundered abroad through the use of cheques issued in the name of former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed.

Jahangir, who was arrested over the withdrawal of Tk 17.6 million through 11 cheques, appeared before the court of Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Ibrahim Khalil on Thursday, where his statement was recorded.

Md Mokarram Hossain, counsel for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), told bdnews24.com: “Jahangir has provided detailed accounts of how former minister Saifuzzaman, his wife Rukmila Jaman, and their associates transferred money abroad.

“He has said in court that the money withdrawn from four separate banks was gathered for the purpose of laundering it abroad.”

Jahangir was detained a day earlier from the Aramit PLC office in Chattogram’s Kalurghat, according to ACC’s regional Deputy Director Subel Ahmed.

The cheques were reportedly issued in Saifuzzaman’s name.

National anti-graft agency officials said the withdrawals were made over the span of a week.

During subsequent drives, investigators reportedly recovered Tk 8.38 million from different locations, allegedly linked to the same scheme.