https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/bfiu-crackdown-after-aug-5-tk-15000cr-366-people-entities-frozen-3799561

The bank accounts of 366 individuals and entities with a Tk 15,000 crore combined balance were frozen between August and December last year over money laundering allegations.

The accounts were frozen against 112 cases, The Daily Star has learned from officials of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) directly involved with the process.

Following the fall of the Awami League government, the anti-money laundering unit sprang into action and started to ask banks to freeze the accounts of politically exposed persons and large businesses due to their alleged involvement in money laundering and corruption.

About 225 investigation reports, including those about suspicious transactions, were sent to the police's Criminal Investigation Department and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in August-December.

The frozen bank accounts include those of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana and Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq.

Also frozen were the accounts of controversial business tycoon Mohammed Saiful Alam, chairman of S Alam Group, and his family members; Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, former land minister, and his family members; Salman F Rahman, Hasina's former private industry and investment adviser and vice-chairman of Beximco Group; his son Shayan Fazlur Rahman and his wife; Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, founder of Bashundhra Group, and his family members.

Bank accounts of the Awami League's research wing the Centre for Research and Information (CRI) and the CRI's "Young Bangla" project have also been frozen, data showed.

Besides, the owners and founders of Summit Group, Orion Group, Sikder Group, Nassa Group and Nabil Group saw their accounts get frozen.

Among others with their bank accounts frozen after Hasina's fall are SM Parvez Tamal, chairman of NRBC Bank; Mohammed Adnan Imam, former chairman of NRBC Bank's executive committee; ABM Mokammel Hoque Chowdhury, former managing director of Union Bank; Chowdhury Nafeez Sarafat, former chairman of Padma Bank; and Nazrul Islam Mazumder, former chairman of Exim Bank.

Among journalists, the bank accounts of Nayeemul Islam Khan, who served as Hasina's press secretary, and Mozammel Haque Babu, former chief executive officer and chief editor of Ekattor TV, were frozen.

"The accounts were frozen before I joined as the head of BFIU," said BFIU chief AFM Shahinul Islam, who was appointed last week. He had earlier worked as the deputy head of BFIU.

If no evidence of suspicious activity or money laundering is found in a frozen account, it will be unfrozen, according to BFIU officials.

The BFIU is investigating various irregularities, such as money laundering, loan fraud, and embezzlement of government and depositors' funds, by more than a dozen business groups.

It has already sent investigation reports on S Alam Group, Beximco Group and family members of former land minister Saifuzzaman to the CID and ACC for legal action.

The BFIU has also requested various countries, including Singapore, the US and the UK, to provide specific information on money laundering by half a dozen business groups.