The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a money laundering case against Jubo League leader and former ward councillor Md Tajul Islam Chowdhury (Bappi) over allegations of laundering about Tk 2.5 crore.
According to the CID’s Financial Crime Unit, Tajul and six to seven unnamed associates have been accused in the case filed with Pallabi Police Station under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (amended 2015).
CID officials said Tajul, an influential leader in the Pallabi-Mirpur area, allegedly amassed large amounts of money through extortion and fraud by controlling different sectors in the area, including transport, temporary footpath markets, garment scrap (jhut) trading, and dish and internet businesses.
During its inquiry, the CID found discrepancies between Tajul’s declared income and his assets, said CID Special Superintendent of Police (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan.
According to the information he submitted, Tajul claimed that he earned Tk 3,83,65,355 between 2014 and 2024 from businesses including a clothing firm named “Smart Fashion,” fish trading, and an auto brick kiln known as “Messrs Chowdhury & Khan Auto Bricks” located in Morelganj of Bagerhat.
He also reported family expenditures of Tk 1,11,83,270 during the same period, which would leave possible savings of about Tk 2,71,73,085.
However, the CID investigation found that the total value of his movable and immovable assets stood at around Tk 4,27,22,471, indicating that he could not show the source of about Tk 1,55,49,386.
Investigators also found that the brick kiln in Morelganj had been set up in a restricted area in violation of the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment (Control) Act, 2013.
The Department of Environment issued a notice on Dec 15, 2024, ordering the closure of the kiln, and later a mobile court fined the establishment Tk 1 lakh on Jan 30, 2025. Despite these legal actions, Tajul reported earning about Tk 48.48 lakh from the brick kiln, which investigators said appeared to be income from an illegal source.
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The CID also found irregularities in a land purchase in North Senpara under Pallabi Police Station. While the registered deed showed the land value as Tk 5.65 lakh, investigators said the actual price was about Tk 53.65 lakh, suggesting that the source of nearly Tk 48 lakh had been concealed.
The investigation found evidence that about Tk 2,51,97,851 had been illegally earned, transferred, and converted through various means. The inquiry also revealed that transactions exceeding Tk 56.86 crore had taken place through accounts linked to the accused. Currently, about Tk 6,33,471 in those accounts has been frozen under a court order.
Investigators further found that the audit reports of two companies submitted by Tajul for 2023 and 2024 were fake. According to the CID, the reports were allegedly prepared in the name of chartered accountant SM Zakaria, who had died during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that the accused used his name and firm’s address to produce forged audit documents.
The case was registered at Pallabi Police Station on March 5, 2026, under sections 4(2) and 4(4) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (amended 2015).
CID official Jasim Uddin Khan said the agency is continuing its investigation with utmost importance to curb money laundering and financial crimes.