Court orders freeze on Tk 870mn in 114 more bank accounts of Towfika Karim

The order has been issued following an application by the CID

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 114 more bank accounts of former Citizens Bank chairman Towfika Aftab alias Towfika Karim, containing around Tk 870 million.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Sabbir Faiz issued the order on Monday following an application by police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Earlier, an order was issued to freeze the bank accounts of Towfika, a “trusted” lawyer of former law minister Anisul Huq.

CID Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Moniruzzaman filed a plea to block 114 of her accounts in multiple banks. They contained Tk 869.84 million.

Prior to the freeze, the CID told the court that illegal transactions amounting to Tk 6.53 billion had taken place through these accounts.

Moniruzzaman said: “We are investigating the matter of money laundering against Towfika. If we obtain sufficient information, we will file a case against her.”

In its application, the CID alleged that while Anisul was serving as law minister, Towfika “abused her power and engaged in misdeeds including bail trading, recruitment trading, and lobbying for transfers in the court”.

With the amassed funds, she “bought flats, cars and land, and also laundered money abroad”.

Moniruzzaman said the bank accounts needed to be frozen, warning that the money could otherwise be transferred elsewhere.