Court orders seizure of ex-minister Saifuzzaman's 518 UK flats worth over Tk448cr
A nine-member task force had been formed to investigate allegations of money laundering against the former minister and his associates
A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of 518 flats and apartments in the United Kingdom owned by former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez issued the order today (26 February) after considering a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
According to the ACC, the estimated value of the properties exceeds £27.18 million, equivalent to around Tk448.82 crore.
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ACC Deputy Director Md Mashiur Rahman submitted the petition on behalf of the commission, stating that a nine-member task force had been formed to investigate money laundering allegations against the former minister and his associates.
The task force includes officials from the ACC, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and National Board of Revenue (NBR).
As part of the investigation, authorities recovered 23 sacks of documents on 21 September last year from a house belonging to Osman Talukder, a neighbour of Md Ilias Talukder, the accused's driver, in the Shikalbaha Fakira Mosque area of Karnaphuli upazila in Chattogram.
After reviewing the documents, investigators compiled a list of assets allegedly acquired by the former minister and his associates in several countries, including the United Kingdom.
The ACC told the court that it had received information indicating attempts were being made to transfer or dispose of the immovable properties through third parties. It warned that failure to freeze the assets could result in significant financial losses to the state.
The commission also requested that freezing orders be communicated to the relevant authorities abroad through Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) procedures to support evidence collection and ensure enforcement of the court's directive.
