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Published : 13 Apr 2025, 11:10 PM
A Dhaka court has ordered the attachment of 3.84 hectares of land and three cars belonging to former local government minister Md Tazul Islam.
In addition, around TK 205 million in his 34 bank accounts and shares worth Tk 50 million in 16 companies have been ordered to be frozen.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Zakir Hossain Galib delivered the verdict following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday, the agency’s spokesperson
Akhtarul Islam told bdnews24.com.
Earlier in the day, ACC Deputy Assistant Director Abu Mohammad Anwarul Masud filed a petition seeking the seizure of Tazul’s immovable assets and freezing of his bank accounts.
According to the plea, Tazul illegally amassed movable and immovable assets worth Tk 78 million "disproportionate to his known sources of income”.
He made "unusual transactions" of Tk 1.39 billion in 34 banks linked to him and his interest-related entities.
Out of this, Tk 736.2 million was deposited and Tk 661.2 million was withdrawn.
The case against Tazul has been initiated for allegedly "handing over, transferring, and converting" money with the intention of concealing the illicit sources of wealth obtained through laundering-related offences such as "corruption and bribery”, the anti-graft watchdog said.
During the investigation, the ACC found that the former minister and the entities associated with him were trying to "hand over, transfer, or misuse” the money and immovable assets in current and savings accounts, fixed deposit receipt (FDR), and other accounts tied to them.
The agency believes the state will face a loss if these properties are handed over or transferred before the case is settled.
After hearing the petition, the court ordered the seizure of the land tied to him in Dhaka, Cumilla and Narayanganj, alongside two commercial spaces, a flat, and a shop in parts of Cumilla.
The list also includes three cars priced at Tk 206 million.
It also ordered to freeze 34 bank accounts registered under his name and organisations tied to him, in which Tk 205.6 million have been deposited.
At the same time, the court asked to block his shares worth Tk 50 million in 16 companies.
Tazul has not been seen in public since the Awami League government’s fall in the student-led mass uprising on Aug 5, 2024.
The ACC began investigating Tazul in August 2024 after the interim government took charge.
Following this, the commission prosecuted Tazul and his wife Fauzia Islam over allegations of having wealth beyond means on Jan 22 this year.
The couple face allegations of acquiring Tk 147 million in illegal assets.
However, Fauzia is accused of having Tk 69 million in unexplained assets.
Tazul Islam, a businessman, was first elected to parliament in 1996 on an Awami League ticket from Laksam-Manoharganj constituency in Cumilla.
He was elected to parliament from the constituency for four consecutive terms from 2008.
