Ex-BFIU chief Masud sued over illegal wealth
The anti-graft watchdog also seeks wealth statement from Masud's wife after identifying Tk72.56 lakh of unexplained assets in her name
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against Masud Biswas, the former chief of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), for acquiring wealth beyond his known sources of income.
The case was filed under Section 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947, ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain told reporters today (2 January).
According to the case statement, Masud amassed Tk1.87 crore in illegal wealth and retained it under his control.
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The ACC has also issued a separate notice under Section 26(1) of the ACC Act, seeking a wealth statement from Masud's wife, Kamrun Nahar, after identifying Tk72.56 lakh in unexplained assets in her name.
The ACC said the couple owns properties, including land and flats in Dhaka, which are being scrutinised during the investigation.
On 25 September 2024, the watchdog initiated a probe into Masud after the agency's intelligence unit uncovered substantial corruption evidence.
Allegations against him include involvement in suspicious aircraft purchases for Sky Capital Airlines Limited, where he reportedly accepted bribes to suppress issues instead of reporting them to law enforcement.
He is also accused of mishandling a money laundering case involving Tamal Parvez, chairman of NRB Commercial Bank, where he submitted a report as a general observation instead of under the Money Laundering Prevention Rules, 2019.
Masud allegedly intervened in transactions involving Himadri Limited by lifting a suspension in exchange for financial gain. Despite evidence of money laundering and fraud involving Tanaka Group, SA Group, and Anwar Group, he failed to report these cases to law enforcement, benefiting personally.
Additionally, Masud is accused of collaborating with Saiful Alam, chairman of S Alam Group, to siphon money abroad through fraudulent loans from Islami Bank. He is further implicated in accepting unethical benefits from Abdul Kadir Mollah's Thermax Group and laundering money overseas.
Masud is also accused of covering up money laundering cases involving Zeenat Enterprises in exchange for bribes, leading to the accumulation of significant assets.
A four-member investigation committee, led by ACC Deputy Director Gulshan Anowar Pradhan, has been formed to probe the allegations.
