Staff Reporter :
Former National Board of Revenue (NBR) member Matiur Rahman and his first wife, Laila Kaniz, a former upazila chairman, have been arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Branch (DB).
The arrest, confirmed by DMP Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) Muhammad Talebur Rahman, occurred in Bashundhara, Dhaka, on Wednesday morning.
The couple faces multiple cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for acquiring illegal wealth and concealing asset information.
Later,Laila Kaniz, has been sent to jail following allegations of amassing wealth beyond her known income sources and concealing asset information. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib issued the order after hearing a plea by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Earlier, ACC Assistant Director Md Ismail, the case investigator, had sought a seven-day remand for further questioning. The court denied the immediate remand request but scheduled a hearing for January 19.
The ACC’s remand application stated that Kaniz, a former government employee, allegedly abused her position to illegally acquire and trade a significant number of placement shares. Investigators aim to determine if others were involved in these transactions.
The petition also highlighted the need to probe her acquisition of unexplained wealth and gather additional details through questioning.
The ACC filed the case on January 6, accusing Kaniz of amassing illegal assets worth Tk13.01 crore and concealing additional assets worth Tk1.53 crore.
The case also names Matiur Rahman as a co-accused for allegedly assisting her in acquiring the wealth.
The case gained public attention following an incident last Eid-ul-Adha when Matiur Rahman’s son, Mushfiqur Rahman, also known as Ifat, went viral on social media for purchasing a goat worth Tk15 lakh.
The extravagant purchase sparked public outrage, leading to scrutiny of the family’s luxurious lifestyle.
Investigations revealed details of Ifat’s expensive watches, cars, and undisclosed assets, as well as properties allegedly owned by the family, including resorts, shooting spots, luxury bungalows, and other assets under both official and proxy names.
