Staff Reporter :
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has lodged a money laundering case against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, accusing him of laundering Tk1,200 crore to Dubai.
The case was filed on Thursday at Kotwali Police Station in Chattogram by an assistant superintendent of police from the CID’s Financial Crime Unit.
According to a press release issued by the CID’s media wing, Saifuzzaman allegedly purchased 226 flats in Dubai between 2016 and 2023.
The properties include locations in Al Barsha South 3rd, Barsha South, Jaddaf, Gulf Commercial, Burj Khalifa, Jabal Ali, World Island, Marsa Dubai, and Nad Al Sheba First, with an estimated value of 335.657 million dirhams.
In addition, two apartments in the Q Gardens Boutique Residences-Block
B project were reportedly registered under the name of his wife, Rukhmila Zaman, valued at 2.25 million dirhams.
The CID also traced four bank accounts belonging to the couple at Dubai Islami Bank, Janata Bank, and First Abu Dhabi Bank. These accounts showed significant transactions in dirhams and US dollars, equivalent to around Tk311 crore.
Back in Bangladesh, Saifuzzaman’s domestic assets worth Tk127 crore are also under the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) scrutiny, while investigators confirmed he owns massive wealth abroad.
The inquiry further revealed two companies – Zeba Trading FZE (building and construction materials) and Rapid Raptor FZE (computer software) – registered in the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone under the names of the couple and their associates.
The CID noted that Saifuzzaman failed to obtain government approval for purchasing overseas properties, registering companies, or making foreign investments.
Through these activities, he allegedly transferred Tk12 billion to Dubai, violating the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012 (amended in 2015).
The CID stated that the investigation is still underway to identify more suspects and uncover additional details.
