Aspiring to run for Brahmanbaria-5, ‘Casino’ Sayeed has Tk17,780 in cash

AKM Mominul Haque Sayeed, popularly known as "Casino" Sayeed, declared having only Tk17,780 in cash in his affidavit submitted to the returning officer to run as an independent candidate for the Brahmanbaria-5 constituency in the upcoming national polls.  

A leader of the Jubo League and also a former councillor of Dhaka South City Corporation ward-9, Sayeed has three corruption and money laundering cases filed against him. The cases are currently under trial. 

Sayeed's name came into discussion during the anti-casino operation conducted by the Rapid Action Battalion in Dhaka in 2019, with the allegation surfacing against him of running an illegal casino business at the Wanderers Club in Motijheel. He allegedly started the casino business after being elected as the councillor of DSCC ward-9 in 2015. 

He left the country secretly during the anti-casino operation and returned when the crackdown stopped.

Sayeed is from Thollakandi village in Borikandi Union under Nabinagar Upazila of Brahmanbaria.

In his affidavit for the 12th Jatiya Sangsad elections, he mentioned his profession as a first-grade contractor and claimed to own a firm named M/s Baishakhi Enterprise.

As per his financial statements attached to the affidavit, Sayeed earns Tk4.30 lakh annually from his firm through contractor jobs and export-imports. His yearly income includes Tk1.40 lakh as an honorarium and Tk5,10,733 as interest from his bank deposits. 

Sayeed's affidavit shows that he and his wife do not own any immovable property. He has only Tk17,780 in cash as movable assets, while his wife has Tk20,85,839 in cash.

Apart from this, Sayeed has Tk40,96,692 deposited in banks and financial institutions, prize bonds worth Tk2 lakh, and gold ornaments measured at 60 bhori. His wife has 50 bhori of gold ornaments and prize bonds worth Tk2 lakh.

Additionally, Sayeed's firm M/s Baishakhi Enterprise has Tk1,37,52,188 as capital, shows his affidavit.