Former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and his family’s assets, including 580 houses, apartments, and plots of land, have been ordered to be seized by the court. Among these assets, 343 properties are in the United Kingdom, 228 in the United Arab Emirates, and 9 in the United States.

Additionally, the court has ordered the freezing of two bank accounts in the UAE and one in Bangladesh. This information was confirmed by multiple sources from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the court on Thursday. On Wednesday, ACC Deputy Director Ram Prasad Mandal filed a petition seeking the seizure or freezing of movable and immovable assets owned by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and his wife, Rukmila Zaman. After a hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Assamz Jaglul Hossain issued the order.

According to the ACC’s application, Saifuzzaman Chowdhury acquired these properties between 2015 and 2024, during his tenure as State Minister and Minister of the Land Ministry of Bangladesh. The court’s order mandates that the UK’s HM Land Registry, the Dubai Land Department in the UAE, and the State Registrar in New York and Florida, USA, initiate the process of seizing these assets.

The ACC also revealed that Saifuzzaman Chowdhury had concealed information about these foreign assets in his tax filings and had transferred money abroad without prior approval from Bangladesh Bank, which is required by law for overseas property purchases.

Further investigations indicate that Saifuzzaman and his wife, Rukmila Zaman, abused their powers, committing various corrupt activities and accepting bribes. They used illegally obtained funds to purchase properties in different countries, including the UK, UAE, and the USA. The couple is also accused of money laundering in these countries.

On October 7, the court imposed a travel ban on Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and his wife, Rukmila Zaman, to prevent them from leaving the country during the investigation. The court highlighted the need for this restriction to ensure a proper investigation.

Moreover, following the fall of the Awami League government, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) ordered the seizure of all bank accounts held by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and Rukmila Zaman.