Staff Reporter :
The court has ordered the freezing of 372 bank accounts belonging to Salman F. Rahman, the former Prime Minister’s Adviser on Civil, Industrial, and Investment Matters and Chairman of Beximco Group, as well as those of his family members and associates.
The order was issued on Monday (24 February) by Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Zakir Hossain Galib’s court in response to a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
According to court sources, the petition was submitted by ACC Deputy Director Muhammad Zainal Abedin in the interest of ensuring a fair investigation. Following a hearing, the court granted the petition.
The petition alleged that Salman F. Rahman and his associates were involved in share manipulation, the fraudulent embezzlement of thousands of crores of taka from shareholders, and the misuse of illegal influence to secure loans amounting to approximately 36,000 crore taka from various government and private banks, which were subsequently misappropriated. Additionally, they were accused of laundering thousands of crores of taka abroad.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that bank accounts linked to Salman F. Rahman, his family members, and close associates were involved in these financial irregularities.
According to reliable sources, attempts were being made to transfer, relocate, or convert the funds in these bank accounts. If these efforts were successful, it would jeopardise the investigation, hinder the filing of charges, the submission of charge sheets in court, and ultimately, the confiscation of illicit assets in favour of the government.
To ensure a fair investigation and uphold justice, it was deemed necessary to freeze the 372 bank accounts connected to Salman F. Rahman, his family members, and his associates.
Earlier, on 13 August, Salman F. Rahman was arrested while attempting to flee via river route from the Sadarghat area of the capital. He remains in custody.
