BNP's Mirza Abbas declares assets worth Tk 686.7mn, lists 3 firearms

The BNP candidate’s election affidavit lists assets worth about Tk 687 million, annual income of roughly Tk 93 million

Mirza Abbas, the BNP-nominated candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, has declared assets worth Tk 686.7 million in his affidavit submitted for the 13th parliamentary election.

Abbas, a former minister and a former mayor of undivided Dhaka, listed his sources of income as rental earnings, bank deposits, savings instruments and investments in the stock market.

According to the affidavit, his annual income stands at more than Tk 92.6 million. Although he described his profession as business, the filing shows he reported no income from business activities.

Most of his income comes from house rent, interest on fixed deposit receipts and bank deposits, and returns from shares and savings certificates. The affidavit shows rental income of about Tk 30.4 million a year, interest income of nearly Tk 12.9 million and about Tk 49.3 million from shares and savings instruments.

Abbas, a member of the BNP Standing Committee, has previously won four parliamentary elections, contesting each time under the party’s 'paddy sheaf' symbol.

He served as minister for housing and public works during the BNP-led four-party coalition government formed in 2001, and earlier held the post of state minister for youth and sports.

The affidavit shows he owns three firearms, for which he reported spending Tk 410,000.

His declared assets include Dhaka Bank shares valued at about Tk 517.9 million, along with jewellery and precious metals worth around Tk 3 million.

The filing also lists non-agricultural land valued at about Tk 1.8 million, a 6,106-square-foot commercial building acquired through inheritance, a 2,930-square-foot flat with two parking spaces, and an 8,030-square-foot floor valued at about Tk 18.5 million. Five inherited flats, with a combined area of 8,604 square feet, were listed without acquisition values.

In his most recent income tax return, Abbas reported paying Tk 35.5 million in tax.

His wife, Afroza Abbas, declared assets worth about Tk 331.5 million, including Dhaka Bank shares valued at around Tk 313.4 million. She also reported owning jewellery and precious metals worth about Tk 2.2 million.

In her latest income tax return, she paid about Tk 1.15 million in income tax.

Born in 1951, Abbas said he holds a Bachelor’s degree. The affidavit also states that 22 cases are pending against him.