Court orders freezing 3 bank accounts of former mayor Taposh in corruption probe

A Dhaka court has ordered to freeze three bank accounts belonging to former Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, who is under investigation for acquiring assets beyond his known sources of income.

The order was issued by Senior Special Judge Sabbir Faiz of the Dhaka Metropolitan Court today (9 October), following an application from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The accounts in question hold a total of Tk17.9 lakh, confirmed ACC's public relations officer, Akhtarul Islam.

In the petition, ACC's investigating officer and Assistant Director Mohammad Ferdous Rahman requested the court to freeze the bank accounts. The application stated that during his tenure as both a member of parliament and mayor, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh allegedly abused his power and amassed assets inconsistent with his known sources of income through corruption.

The total value of these assets is estimated to be Tk73 crore 19 lakh.

The investigation further revealed that Taposh conducted suspicious transactions, including transfers totaling Tk539 crore and $517,527 across 27 bank accounts in his name, which were deemed inconsistent with his legitimate income sources.

Reliable sources during the investigation also revealed that Taposh is attempting to transfer or hide movable assets under his name, raising concerns about potential asset dissipation before the conclusion of the case. In order to prevent any further harm to state interests, the court found it necessary to immediately freeze the assets. The freezing of these accounts is part of ongoing efforts by the ACC to address corruption and illegal wealth accumulation by public figures.