NBR seeks Sadeeq Agro’s bank details, ACC seizes 6 banned Brahman cows in raid

The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) under the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has sought the bank account details of Sadeeq Agro and its owners. 

An NBR official, seeking anonymity, told The Business Standard yesterday, "We have requested all banks and financial institutions to send us bank details of Sadeeq Agro and its owners as soon as possible. We made the request through the central bank on Tuesday." 

Sadeeq Agro came into limelight recently with the Anti-Corruption Commission raiding its farms in search of banned Brahman cows. 

Yesterday, the ACC raided a Sadeeq Agro farm in Mohammadpur area and managed to seize six Brahman cows, including the famed Tk1.5 crore Sultan, which were being reared at the farm to be used for breeding. 

Both rearing and breeding of Brahman cows have been banned in the country since 2016.

Sadeeq Agro made headlines when it attempted to sell a goat for Tk15 lakh to Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, the son of high-ranking government official Matiur Rahman. The high price of the goat sparked curiosity and raised questions about how the official could afford such an expense.

Later, several agencies including the ACC and NBR's intelligence units, started investigating potential irregularities involving Sadeeq Agro. 

The ACC obtained information that seven Brahman calves were found listed among the cattle of Sadeeq Agro, while five Brahman cows were inseminated last month. However, none of the owners or manager of Sadeeq Agro was found during the raid.

Brahman cow "Sultan" whose price has been estimated at Tk1.5 crore. Photo: TBS

From 2021 to 2023, these seized cows were reared at the Central Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farm after being sent there by the government following a court order that upheld customs officials decision to seize the cows at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for being illegally imported.

Then, the Department of Livestock Services auctioned the cows at a price of Tk280 per kg to Bangladesh Dairy Farmers' Association on the condition that they would be sold as meat at a price of Tk600 per kg, said Md Monirul Islam, the director of the Central Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farm. 

However, the cows ended up at Sadeeq Agro again. It should be noted that Md Imran Hossain, the owner of Sadeeq Agro, is also the president of Bangladesh Dairy Farmers' Association.

Asked whether the cows that were recovered during the ACC drive are the same ones that were seized in 2021, ACC Assistant Director Abul Kalam Azad said, "We confirmed that these are the same cows by comparing the number on the cow's body with the number given on the customs paper at that time."

He also said, "Earlier on 1 July, we found a Brahman cow in a farm in Mohammadpur. We had told them not to move the cow from there, but we were later informed that they had moved it. The cow was seized during today's [yesterday's] drive.

"Since the cows have been found at Sadeeq Agro, we will file a report. The commission will take a decision on the matter later."

When asked, an official seeking anonymity explained that instead of selling the cattle as meat, Sadeeq Agro retained them to sell their semen, a profitable but illegal activity. By selling just one bull, they could make several times the money they invested.

The ACC later handed over the recovered cattle to the Central Cattle Breeding and Dairy Farm through the Ministry of Livestock.