Banks ordered to freeze accounts of Sheikh Helal, Sheikh Tonmoy, 2 ex-ministers, 10 others
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) today (19 August) ordered banks to freeze the accounts of 14 people, including former MPs Sheikh Helal Uddin, his son Sheikh Sharhan Naser Tonmoy and two former ministers.
Other individuals are Sheikh Helal's wife Rupa Chowdhury, former health minister Zahid Maleque, his son Rahat Maleque, daughter Sinthia Maleque.
Former social welfare minister Dipu Moni, her husband Taufiq Nawaz and her brother Dr JR Wadud Tipu, her relative Dr Taimur Nawaz are also among those listed by the BFIU.
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Besides, the BFIU also asked to freeze the bank accounts of former Director General of NTMC Major General Ziaul Ahsan and his wife Nusrat Jahan.
Former Chhatra League President Liakat Sikder and his wife Mahmuda Ali Sikdar are also mentioned by the BFIU. Mahmuda's business organisation Computer World BD's accounts were also asked to be frozen.
The BFIU's directive was given under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012. At the same time, directives were given to suspend transactions of businesses owned by all these individuals.
A senior official of the BFIU confirmed the matter to TBS and said the directives were given through several letters sent to all banks and financial institutions on Monday (19 August).
"We are already asked to file Suspicious Transactions/Suspicious Activity Reports (STRs/SARs) with banks. These instructions were issued only after receiving STR and SAR from the banks regarding the accounts of these individuals," he said.
