Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has seized all bank accounts of former national cricket team captain Shakib Al Hasan. The BFIU confirmed this to journalists last night. On October 2, the agency had summoned all the bank account information of Shakib and his wife Umm Ahmed Shishir and their business organisations to investigate manipulations and financial irregularities in the capital market. After the investigation, BFIU seized all his bank accounts on the orders of the government. Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), the capital market regulatory body, fined Shakib Tk 50 lakh on September 24 for violating the securities law by manipulating the shares of Paramount Insurance. Read: BFIU seeks bank account information of Shakib Al Hasan, his wife Shakib, a star all-rounder, was elected Member of Parliament from Magura-1 Constituency for Awami League in the last parliamentary elections. He was accused in a murder case filed at Adabar police station after the fall of Hasina's government on August 5. Shakib Al Hasan is currently staying in the United States with his family.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has frozen nearly 300 bank accounts since August 5 as part of an intensified effort to combat money laundering. Significant sums of money are involved, according to officials, who noted that this move forms part of a broader initiative aimed at identifying and halting the illegal outflow of funds from the country. Sources at the central bank’s financial intelligence division revealed that the ongoing investigation is focused on tracing funds laundered abroad. They said the freezing of these accounts is intended to disrupt illicit activities and protect the financial system from further harm. As a result of the seizures, some 100 legal cases have been filed. BFIU orders to freeze accounts of Union Bank MD Mokammel The BFIU has said that, if financial embezzlement is proven in court, the seized funds will be transferred to the Bangladesh Bank’s treasury. However, should the allegations be dismissed, the accounts will be unfrozen and the funds returned to their rightful holders. The central bank, working closely with the task force and the BFIU, is optimistic about the recovery of stolen assets. They regard this collaborative effort as a positive step towards retrieving illicitly transferred funds and preventing future financial crimes. Authorities are also committed to tightening regulatory oversight as the investigation progresses. These measures aim to curb money laundering and bolster the country’s financial integrity. A recent report by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) revealed that approximately Tk 26,400 crore (USD 3.1 billion) is illicitly sent out of Bangladesh every year. Hundi, over-invoicing, under-invoicing, and trade mis-invoicing have been identified as the primary techniques for laundering money. Shahrear Ahamed, an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), highlighted in a 10 March 2024 article that the existing regulatory framework imposed on fintech companies has effectively curbed money laundering and the financing of terrorism. However, as the fintech sector evolves, so do the risks of emerging fraudulent activities. He said that fintech organisations, particularly their anti-money laundering departments, must implement prevention and mitigation strategies. With consistent monitoring and updates to current policies and guidelines, the mobile financial services (MFS) industry could propel Bangladesh to new levels of financial transparency and security.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) ordered banks and financial institutions freeze bank accounts of Mojammel Haque Babu, former chief editor of Ekattor Television and president of the Editors Guild, his wife Aparajita Haque, a former lawmaker and their child Sababa Ishayat Haque. The intelligence agency of the central bank issued the directive on Monday. According to a letter from the Bangladesh Bank, all transactions related to the seized accounts will be halted. No transactions will be permitted in these accounts for the next 30 days. The letter also reads that suspension of transactions is in accordance with relevant provisions of anti-money laundering regulations. Read: Mozammel Babu, Shahriar Kabir placed on 7-day remand It includes details such as the names, addresses, and national identification numbers of Babu and his wife, as well as a request for comprehensive information regarding their bank accounts and those of their owned businesses. Mojammel Haque Babu was arrested on September 16 while attempting to cross into India via the Dhobaura border in Mymensingh. Since then, he has been in jail. Read more: Journalists Mozammel Babu, Shyamal Dutta held in Mymensingh while trying to cross the border into India

The number of account holders with deposits of Tk 1 crore and above, has gone up to 1,08,457 as of June in Bangladeshi banks, amid the economic crisis. Bangladesh Bank’s updated data revealed that at the end of June quarter, the number of accounts with Tk 1 crore and above deposit stood at 1,08,457. In March quarter, the number of these accounts was 1,03,597. Read: Bangladesh Bank extends retention period to 30 days for repatriating export income This means, the number of accounts with Tk 1 crore and above has increased by 4,860 in three months. Economist and former governor of Bangladesh Bank, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, told UNB that it happened due to the country’s income and wealth inequality. He said the rich are getting richer and the incomes of the lower-middle and middle-income people are shrinking. At the beginning of this year, in the quarter of December 2021, the number was 1,00976. And a year ago in June 2021, the number of bank accounts with Tk 1 crore and above was 99,918. Read: Saving electricity: Bangladesh Bank issues notice to close evening banking According to the Bangladesh Bank report, the total number of depositors in the banking sector till June 2022 stood at 12,95,14,513. The deposit amount was around Tk 15.74 lakh crore. The number of depositors till March 2022 was 12,73,52,893 and total deposits were Tk 15.15 lakh crore.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Wednesday asked banks to freeze all accounts of former Bangladesh Bank (BB) deputy governor SK Sur Chowdhury and his wife Suparna Sur Chowdhury for suspected tax evasion. Central Intelligence Cell of the revenue collecting authority, in a letter, directed all banks to freeze withdrawal or transfer of money from all accounts maintained by  them. The NBR CIC gave the directive to the banks suspecting of tax evasion by the couple. The CIC also asked banks to submit a compliance report, stating the latest balance of the accounts. On February 23, the NBR has asked banks for detailed information of all types of accounts and transactions of five people, including  SK Sur Chowdhury, present Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Md Shah Alam and their spouses. READ: PK Haldar’s trail: BFIU seeks info on accounts held by SK Sur, Shah Alam The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) on March 11 has sought for the bank details of SK Sur Chowdhury , his spouse and BB Executive Director Shah Alam and his spouses, Shaheen Akhter Shalley and Nasrin Begum. These moves came after a close associate of PK Hader, a fugitive accused of a money laundering case, confessed to a Dhaka court that two high-placed BB officials had assisted them in the financial scams. Bangladesh Bank withdrew Shah Alam from the responsibility of monitoring two departments for his alleged connection with PK Halder following the confessional statement. READ: Court orders freezing two bank accounts of suspended DIG prison Bazlur Shah Alam was relieved from his duties at the central bank's Department of Financial Institutions and Markets (DFIM) and the Department of Banking Inspection-2.

A Dhaka court has ordered freezing eight bank accounts of former mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Sayeed Khokon and three of his family members. ACC deputy director Jalaluddin Ahmed filed a petition on Sunday seeking steps to freeze the bank accounts as part of their investigation. Read:HC rejects bail plea of suspended ACC director Enamul Judge of the Senior Special Judge's Court KM Emrul Kayesh passed an order later in the day following the filing of the petition. The eight bank accounts belong to Sayeed Khokon, his wife Farhana Alam, sister Shahana Hanif and mother Fatema Hanif as part of an investigation into allegations of corruption, a source at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) told UNB on Monday. Read:Taposh not fit to be mayor: Sayeed Khokon Of the eight bank accounts, three belong to Syeed Khokon’s businesses, the source added.

A Dhaka court on Tuesday ordered the seizure of 170 bank accounts of three people, including Monir Hossain alias Golden Monir in connection with a case with money laundering. The other two people are Sirajganj Sadar Upazila Chairman Riaz Uddin and Dhaka North City Corporation Ward No. 44 Councillor Shafiqul Islam alias Shafiq. Also read: ‘Golden Monir’ put on 18-day remand Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge KM Imrul Kayes passed the order after the investigating officer of the case, CID Inspector of Police Mohammad Chadek Ali, applied for the account seizures of these three people. On May 11, CID inspector Ibrahim Hossain filed the case against 10 people including Raushan Akter, wife of Golden Monir and his son Rafi Hossain. Also read: ‘Golden Monir’ finally held with ‘arms, drugs’ On November 20, 2020, RAB surrounded Monir's house in capital’s Badda. During the eight-hour operation till noon, almost 7 Kg gold jewelry, foreign pistols, liquor, huge amounts of foriegn currency from 10 countries and Tk 1.9 crore cash were seized from the house. Last year on December 10, Golden Monir was sent to jail after being remanded for 27 days in three separate cases under the Arms, special powers and narcotics law.

From now on, one will be able to open a bank account from anywhere without visiting a bank branch.

A court here on Monday asked the authorities concerned to freeze 194 bank accounts of Golam Kibria Shamim alias GK Shamim in a money laundering case.