Court forms committee for auction of belongings of Benazir’s duplex

A large quantity of personal belongings, including shirts, pants, T-shirts, sarees, and shoes, seized from a Gulshan duplex belonging to the former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, will be put up for auction this week.

The committee, formed following the directives of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court recently, has decided to conduct the auction through an advertisement within this week.   

Headed by the director of the asset management wing of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), the committee will put on auction the belongings found in the duplex owned by the former IGP at Rancon tower in the city's Gulshan area. 

Other members of the committee are - a representative of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, a representative from the Director General of the Textile Directorate, a representative of the Chairman of the Steel Engineering Corporation, and Deputy Director (Asset Management) of the ACC.

The committee has already prepared an inventory of 246 types of items for auction. 

According to the committee, they found 122 shirts, 266 pants, 30 blazers, eight suits, 722 T-shirts, 224 panjabees, 47 pajamas, 88 pairs of sandals, 35 pairs of cades, 38 pairs of shoes, 494 pieces of sarees, 250 three pieces, 496 swallowers, 65 blouses, 212 shirts, 56 jackets, 109 bed-sheets, 75 ladies vanity bags, 622 ladies tops, 45 sweaters, 355 ladies pants, 28 ladies T-shirts, 58 night dresses, 347 scarps, 89 shawls, 132 winter clothes, 16 lahengas, 34 sun glasses and 67 trousers.

While preparing the inventory, the committee members became astonished witnessing the large quantity of belongings of Benazir's family and remembered the Marcos couple of the Philippines in the '80s, as the Marcos family gained notoriety for living a lavish lifestyle. 

The committee members found a similarity between Benazir couple with the then President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, and Imelda Marcos, who were forced to leave the country in the face of mass upsurge.

The committee also found 19 refrigerators, air conditioners over 100 tons, different types of electronic items for swimming pool, cots, dressing tables, dining tables, sofa sets, almirahs, and wardrobes will not be put on auction this time. These items would also be put up for auction after getting necessary approval from the court.

Benazir was the IGP from 15 April 2020 to 30 September 2022, who fled the country along with his wife and two daughters on 4 May 2024 with general passports.  

Earlier, he was also the director general of the Rapid Action Battalion and commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP). 

The ACC has already filed a case against Benazir Ahmed for laundering money amounting to Tk 11,34,50,000. Similar corruption cases were also lodged against Benazir's wife, Jisan Mirza, his two daughters, Farhin Rishita Bente Benazir and Tahsin Raisa Binte Benazir, on December 15 last year.