Bank accounts of Asaduzzaman, Palak to be frozen

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) yesterday instructed all banks to freeze the accounts of two more ministers from the recently overthrown Awami League government, along with their family members.

They are Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former home minister, and Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for posts, telecommunications and information technology.

With this, BFIU has so far instructed banks to freeze the accounts of five former ministers of the Sheikh Hasina-led government, which fell on August 5 in the face of a student-led mass uprising.

All banks were told to freeze the accounts of Asaduzzaman, his wife Lutful Tahmina Khan, along with his son and daughter, said a senior official of the anti-money laundering agency.

The instruction came after the BFIU received reports of suspicious transactions in accounts under their names, said the official, wishing to remain unnamed.

In a letter, the BFIU asked all banks to block all kinds of withdrawals from the accounts of Asaduzzaman and his family members.

Earlier in the day, BFIU also instructed all banks to freeze the accounts of Palak and his wife, Arifa Jesmin Konika, a senior official said.

“The BFIU ordered a freeze on the accounts after getting reports of suspicious transactions in their name,” the official said.

In a letter, the intelligence unit asked the banks to block all types of withdrawals through individual or business accounts in their names.

In the last three days, BFIU instructed all banks to take similar steps against former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, his wife Nuran Fatema, and their daughter Nafisa Jumyina Mahmud; Mohammad Ali Arafat, former state minister for information and broadcasting, and his wife Sharmin Mustary; Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, former land minister, and his wife Rukhmila Zaman, who is also the chairman of United Commercial Bank PLC.