Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, a minister in Bangladesh, is facing allegations of corrupt wealth accumulation, owning over 490 properties globally, despite a modest salary. His wealth has drawn scrutiny from the interim government and anti-corruption agencies due to suspicions of money laundering.
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, a prominent minister in Sheikh Hasina’s administration in Bangladesh, is under scrutiny from the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus due to his significant wealth. Despite a reported salary of Rs 11 lakh, Chowdhury reportedly owns over 490 properties worldwide, including in the United States, London, and Dubai, with approximately 300 properties located in the United Kingdom alone. These revelations stem from an investigative report by a media outlet.
Chowdhury served in Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet until her resignation and subsequent exile in the wake of mass protests in 2024. He also departed the country amidst unrest in August 2024. In his income tax declaration, he valued his assets at Rs 20 crore, despite significant allegations concerning the legitimacy of his wealth. Chowdhury’s father, Akhtaruzzaman, was a key ally of Hasina and a founding member of the United Commercial Bank, with a controversial past involving the alleged murder of the bank’s founding chairman.
From 1992 to 2024, Chowdhury’s family has acquired various properties, amassing a value exceeding USD 295 million on a global scale. Since 2019, during his tenure as land minister, Chowdhury’s net worth has substantially increased, with reported properties including real estate in Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, multiple residences in London’s commuter towns, as well as assets in Singapore and Malaysia.
According to Al-Jazeera, the Bangladesh central bank has frozen the bank accounts belonging to Chowdhury and his family while the country’s anti-corruption commission investigates allegations of illicitly obtained wealth totaling thousands of crores of taka, presumed to be laundered in the UK.
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s vast wealth and extensive property holdings have raised serious concerns leading to an investigation by Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission. His declared assets and the circumstances surrounding his family’s significant property acquisitions reflect potential issues of corruption, further complicated by ongoing scrutiny from both the government and the public in light of political unrest.
Original Source: www.india.com
