Hasina’s lockers seized at Agrani Bank, court order required to open

One of her accounts at the same bank remains frozen since last August under BFIU order

A National Board of Revenue team has seized two lockers rented by deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina at Agrani Bank, days after a similar move at Pubali Bank.

The team visited Agrani Bank’s head office in Dilkusha on Wednesday and identified lockers No. 751 and 753, which Hasina had rented. Both lockers were then seized by the officials.

The action was taken as part of an ongoing investigation into tax evasion and alleged financial irregularities involving Hasina and her family, being carried out under the interim administration.

Agrani Bank Managing Director Anwarul Islam told bdnews24.com, “Hasina had rented two lockers at Agrani Bank. Both are preserved at the bank as per rules. The NBR came to confirm their existence. By law, if a locker is to be opened in the absence of a client, it requires court permission."

He explained that any attempt to open the lockers must be carried out in the presence of a magistrate and with a valid court directive. “Once such an order is issued, the bank will take necessary steps.”

Under standard locker rental procedures, each locker is secured with two keys -- one held by the client and the other by the bank’s locker security unit. Both are required to open it.

A senior official at Agrani Bank, speaking on condition of anonymity said the NBR’s Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) moved to seal the lockers to cross-check their contents with the asset declarations in Hasina’s income tax records.

In addition, one of Hasina’s accounts at Agrani Bank was frozen in August last year, following instructions from the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU). The NBR team has now also reviewed the balance of that account.

“That account has remained frozen since last year as per BFIU instructions,” said Anwarul.

Earlier, on Sept 10, the NBR sealed locker number 128 belonging to Hasina at the Motijheel corporate branch of Pubali Bank, located in Sena Kalyan Bhaban. Two of her fixed deposit accounts there have also been frozen.

With this move, a total of three lockers rented in Hasina’s name -- two at Agrani Bank and one at Pubali Bank -- have now been sealed.