Dhaka: Huge properties have been found in the United Kingdom (UK) belonging to the close circle of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The circle, included former ministers, politicians, and businessmen, have an accumulated investment of approximately over 40 crore pounds (approximately Tk 6,000 crore) or much more in the UK housing sector, according to a finding of joint investigation by British newspaper The Observer and Berlin-based anti-corruption organization Transparency International. According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the findings were published in The Guardian on Saturday, where investigators indicated that these properties were purchased with money laundered from Bangladesh through 'hundi' instead of repaying bank loans. Recently, the government, including the governor of Bangladesh Bank, has stated that at least Tk 17 lakh crore has been laundered abroad from the country during the Hasina government, with a significant amount destined for London. However, Transparency International Bangla desh (TIB) Executive Director and Head of the Anti-Corruption Commission Reform Commission Dr. Iftekharuzzaman remarked that although the Bangladesh Bank governor mentioned $17 billion was laundered from the banking sector, the actual amount is much higher. He cited that during the Awami League regime, influential individuals closely associated with the government laundered $12 to $15 billion each year under the guise of the banking sector and trade, without real calculations of the total laundered amount during Sheikh Hasina's tenure. Meanwhile, Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, head of the White Paper Committee formed to investigate irregularities and corruption in the economy, submitted its report to Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus. The report revealed an average of US$ 16 billion was laundered abroad annually during Sheikh Hasina's rule, who was ousted in a mass uprising by students and the public. Shafiqul Alam, Chief Advisor's Press Secretary, told BSS that the white paper report analyzed each sector of the economy individually, revealing manipulated statistics to create a development narrative amidst looting. The investigation findings indicated ownership of nearly 350 properties, ranging from luxury apartments to sprawling mansions, many acquired through offshore companies and shell entities linked to Hasina's close allies. Among these properties, several are owned by Salman F Rahman, former Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Advisor, and Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan's family members. Former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and NASA Group Chairman Nazrul Islam Majumder also hold properties through offshore companies. Salman F Rahman is currently imprisoned in Bangladesh, under investigation for money laundering by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police, with frozen bank accounts by the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU). Authorities have traced some laundered money to Grosvenor Square in London's Mayfair district, a prestigious loc ation. Members of the Rahman family own or hold stakes in seven luxury apartments there, mostly through companies based in offshore jurisdictions. Legal representatives for Salman's family deny wrongdoing, asserting compliance with money-laundering laws. Former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and his family reportedly own over 300 UK properties, valued at approximately £160 million. His global assets' value was estimated at $500 million by a previous Al Jazeera report in September. BFIU has frozen Chowdhury's bank accounts, and a court has ordered the seizure of his immovable assets within Bangladesh while he is barred from leaving the country. The Guardian report further elaborates that besides politicians, Bangladesh's wealthy and influential businessmen also own UK properties. Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family allegedly own two properties worth £13 million in Surrey, purchased through offshore companies. Despite strong denials from the family, including Bashundhara's vice-c hairman Safwan Sobhan, the government has banned Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and six family members from leaving Bangladesh, freezing their bank accounts. Additionally, Nazrul Islam Mazumder, chairman of Nasa Group, is under investigation for money laundering, owning five properties worth £38 million in London's Kensington area.
