Khulna AL candidates: Salam Murshedi got richer, Jewel's wealth declined while Narayon in debt

Wealth of Awami League candidate Abdus Salam Murshedi in Khulna-4 increased while wealth of AL's Khulna-2 constituency candidate Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel has decreased and Narayon Chandra Chand of Khulna-5 is currently in debt.

This information was obtained from the affidavits submitted by the candidates while applying for nominations in the upcoming national elections.

Khulna-4 AL candidate's annual earnings increased to Tk8.02 crore

Abdus Salam Murshedi, member of parliament of Khulna-4 constituency, has earned another Tk43 crore in the last five years after becoming a member of Parliament.

With this, his total assets stand at Tk137.86 crore. On the other hand, the wealth of his dependents has increased by 18 times in the last five years to Tk24.91 crore.

His annual income also increased during his tenure as an MP from an annual income of Tk6.37 crore in 2018 to Tk8.02 crore in 2023.

It is mentioned in his affidavit that currently Abdus Salam Murshedi has Tk29.53 lakh in cash, Tk4.80 crore in bank deposits.

He has shares of various companies worth Tk94.42 crore, immovable assets such as buildings worth Tk11.55 crore. Apart from cars, house, property, he has other movable assets worth Tk25.86 crore.

However, he has also taken a loan of Tk7.54 crore from banks.

His wife has Tk1.86 crore in cash, Tk17.74 lakh in bank deposits and shares worth Tk8.59 crore. She also has other assets worth Tk7.33 crore.

In 2018, his nomination affidavit stated that Murshedi had his own wealth of Tk95.11 crore, his wife had Tk22.31 crore and daughter Tk1.33 crore.

Meanwhile, his wife's gross annual income was Tk1.17 crore.

In 2018, Abdus Salam Murshedi was nominated by Awami League and became the member of parliament through a by-poll. He won the 11th national election that year with the nomination of the party again.

Though he is a reputed politician, he is better known as a sportsman and businessman. In 1982, Murshedi reached the pinnacle of his playing career by scoring 10 goals in the Ashish-Jabbar Gold Cup held in West Bengal, India. He won the title for Dhaka Mohammedans as well as winning the top goalscorer award that season.

Currently, as a businessman, he mentioned himself as managing director of Envoy Group and director of a garment industry, a textile industry, a bank, and a hospital.

He was also a director of Premier Bank Limited, president of Bangladesh Exporters Association (EAB), senior vice president of Bangladesh Football Federation, member of the Board of Directors of BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology. Previously, he also served as the president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

Salam Murshedi studied up to higher secondary level. There is no case against him.

Khulna-2 AL candidate's wealth has declined

Analysing the affidavit, it has been found that the wealth of Khulna-2 member of parliament Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel has decreased in the last five years.

Earlier his wealth was Tk65.88 crore. Currently, it has reduced to Tk51.36 crore. But his income has increased compared to before. Before the 2018 elections, his annual income was Tk3 crore. Currently the annual income is Tk7 crore.

His wife's income has also increased in the last five years – in 2018, it was Tk2.41 crore and now it is Tk4.35 crore.

According to the affidavit, his immovable assets include 10 acres of land in Purbachal New Town and 7 acres in Tungipara of Gopalganj, 0.38 acres of land in Dighalia, Khulna and he owns 3 flats in Dhaka.

Among the movable assets, he has Tk 2.58 crore in cash, bank deposit Tk13.64 crore, FDR of Tk1 crore, shares of three companies worth Tk21.69 crore, savings certificate of Tk 25 lakh and Tk10.21 crore as investment in cargo business.

In the affidavit he identified himself as the owner of Sheikh Jewel M/s Ajmir Navigation and M/s Fardin Fees. Among the annual income, he earns Tk4.33 lakh from house rent, Tk3.23 crore from business, Tk3.14 crore from shares and Tk60.75 lakh as profit from banks.

In 2018, his bank loan was Tk29 crore. Currently, he has a loan of Tk3.49 crore in Shahjalal Islami Bank. He has studied till higher secondary level and has no cases against him.

Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel was elected as the member of Parliament on the nomination of Bangladesh Awami League in the 11th National Parliament Elections in 2018 from Khulna-2 Constituency. He is the prime minister's paternal cousin.

Khulna-5 AL candidate currently debt-ridden

Narayon Chandra Chand of Khulna-5 constituency, Former Fisheries and Livestock Minister, has mentioned in his affidavit that against his assets of Tk1.27 crore, he has a bank loan of about Tk2 crore. He borrowed another Tk15 lakhs from different people.

In the affidavit, he mentioned agriculture and brick kiln business as his occupation. His annual income in 2018 was Tk21.25 lakh. Currently, his annual income has reduced to Tk19.7 lakh. Every year he earns Tk3.3 lakh from agriculture sector, Tk9.8 lakh from brick kiln business and Tk6.6 lakh as a member of Parliament.

In 2018, his wealth was Tk65.98 lakh. His assets have increased to Tk1.27 crore in five years. Among the assets, he has Tk8.77 lakh in cash, Tk55 lakh in bank deposits, 4.17 acres of agricultural land, some non-agricultural land, a building and a semi-finished building. His debt to the bank is Tk1.995 crore.

Former Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayon Chandra Chand has been nominated by Awami League for Khulna-5 constituency. He has completed post-graduation. There was previously one case against him.

Narayon Chandra Chand was elected as the member of parliament in the by-election held on 20 December 2000. However, he was defeated by a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in the eighth parliamentary election of 2001. After that, he won consecutive elections in 2008, 2014, 2018. From 2014 to 2019, he served as state minister and minister of Fisheries and Animal Resources at various times.