The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has seized a luxury hotel and frozen assets worth Tk 33.81 crore belonging to Rongdhonu Group owner Rafiqul Islam, in connection with an ongoing money laundering case.

The case, filed under sections 4(2) and 4(4) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012, is currently under investigation by the CID's Financial Crime Unit (Gulshan Police Station Case No-14, dated 07/08/2025).

Rafiqul Islam, owner of Rongdhonu Builders, allegedly obtained massive loans through fraud and forgery—taking Tk 400 crore from Islami Bank’s Baridhara Branch, Tk 270 crore from First Security Islami Bank’s Bashundhara Branch, and Tk 200 crore from Union Bank’s Gulshan Branch, among others.

Instead of repaying the loans, he reportedly laundered the funds abroad and acquired foreign citizenship, said Special Super of the CID (Media Wing) Jasimuddin Khan on Monday .

During the investigation, the CID traced a 9-storey luxury hotel named “Hotel Unique Regency,” built on 6.02 decimals of land in Banani's Road 17, along with Tk 33.81 crore kept as collateral with the Co-operative Bank Bangladesh Ltd.

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Following a court order, the CID seized the hotel and froze the identified funds, he said.

The Financial Crime Unit continues its investigation to trace the source of the funds, identify other properties laundered abroad, and arrest others involved in the case, officials said.