Bank accounts of ex-land minister's brother Anisuzzaman, his wife and children frozen
The move comes soon after an Al Jazeera documentary, The Minister’s Millions, which showed former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, brother of Anisuzzaman, having ownership of 360 houses in the UK alone
The bank account of Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, former director of the UCB Bank has been seized, along with those of his wife and daughter have been frozen.
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) sent instructions in this regard to various banks and financial institutions.
The move comes soon after an Al Jazeera documentary, The Minister's Millions, which showed former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, brother of Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, having ownership of 360 houses in the UK alone.
The Business Standard has obtained a copy of the letter the BFIU sent to different banks and financial institutions.
"According to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, orders have been given to suspend the transactions of the personal accounts of Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, his wife Imrana Zaman Chowdhury and daughter Anisha Zaman and the accounts of their privately owned organisations for 30 days in the first phase."
Anisuzzaman Chowdhury was the director of United Commercial Bank (UCB).
He and former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury are the children of late Awami League leader Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury.
The UCB Bank was under their control right till the fall of the previous Hasina-led government.
Like his brother Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, Anisuzzaman Chowdhury also has assets abroad, according to various sources.
These assets are parked in different countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Dubai.
After the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, the board of directors of various banks in the country were dissolved.
As part of that, the board of directors of United Commercial Bank was also dissolved on 27 August.