The Anti-Corruption Commission is set to seek information from the UAE government about properties allegedly acquired in Dubai through money laundering by 73 Bangladeshis, including former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, former Premier Bank chairman HBM Iqbal and former Padma Bank chairman Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat.

The ACC plans to send a Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) to the UAE under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), through which member states cooperate by exchanging relevant information and documents in corruption and financial crime investigations.

According to ACC sources, the individuals under investigation allegedly acquired flats and houses in Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah, two of Dubai’s high-end areas, and obtained the UAE’s Golden Visa.

The individuals under investigation allegedly acquired flats and houses in Dubai Marina and Palm Jumeirah, two of Dubai’s high-end areas, and obtained the UAE’s Golden Visa.

ACC Deputy Director (public relations) Aktarul Islam said the investigation team recently wrote to the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), seeking information on assets allegedly acquired in Dubai with laundered money. The team has also collected information from other government agencies.

The ACC has already collected records of the 73 individuals from the Election Commission, National Board of Revenue and Department of Immigration and Passports.

The investigation is being conducted by a special team led by ACC Deputy Director Alamgir Hossain and Assistant Director Ashikur Rahman.

During the investigation, the ACC collected and scrutinised records from the EC, NBR, Department of Immigration and Passports and other agencies before identifying 73 individuals for closer examination.

The 73 individuals are Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, HBM Iqbal, Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat, Ahsanul Karim, Anjuman Ara Shahid, Humayra Selim, Juran Chandra Bhowmik, Md Rabbi Khan, Mohammad Golam Mostofa, Mohammad Oliur Rahman, SA Khan Ikhtekhuruzzaman, Syed Fahim Ahmed, Syed Hasnain, Syed Mahmudul Haque, Syed Ruhul Haque, Golam Mohammad Bhuiya, Haji Mostofa Bhuiya, Monoj Kanti Pal, Md Iftekhar Uddin Chowdhury, Md Mahbubul Haque Sarker, Md Selim Reza, Mohammad Elias Bajlur Rahman, SU Ahmed, Shehtaz Munshi Khan, AKM Fazlur Rahman, Abu Yusuf Md Abdullah, Gulzar Alam Chowdhury, Hasan Ashik Taimur Islam, Hasan Reza Mahidul Islam, Khaled Mahmud, M Sajjad Alam, Mohammad Yasin Ali, Mostofa Amir Faisal, Rifat Ali Bhuiya, Salimul Haque Isa/Hakim Mohammad Isa, Syed AK Anwaruzzaman/Syed Kamruzzaman, Syed Salman Masud, Syed Saimul Haque, Abdul Hai Sarker, Ahmed Samir Pasha, Fahmida Shabnam Chaiti, Md Abul Kalam, Fatema Begum Kamal, Mohammad Al Ruman Khan, Mainul Haque Siddiqui, Munia Awan, Sadik Hossain Md Shakil, Abdullah Mamun Maruf, Mohammad Arman Hossain, Mohammad Shawkat Hossain Siddiqui, Mostofa Jamal Naser, Ahmed Imran Chowdhury, Billal Hossain, MA Hashem, Mohammad Main Uddin Chowdhury, Natasha Noor Mumu, Syed Mizan Mohammad Abu Hanif Siddiqui, Sayeda Durrak Sinda Zara, Ahmed Iffzal Chowdhury, Farhana Monem, Farzana Anjum Khan, KH Mashiur Rahman, MA Salam, Md Ali Hossain, Mohammad Imdadul Haque Bhorsa, Mohammad Imran, Mohammad Rohen Kabir, Monjila Morshed, Mohammad Sanaullah Chowdhury, Mohammad Sarful Islam, Syed Rafiqul Alam and Anisuzzaman Chowdhury.

The ACC has not disclosed the professional identities of the individuals, as the investigation is ongoing.

The investigation follows a Supreme Court directive issued on January 16, 2023, asking the ACC and relevant authorities to investigate allegations concerning assets acquired in Dubai by 459 Bangladeshi citizens.

According to data cited by the Centre for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS) and the EU Tax Observatory, 459 Bangladeshis owned 972 properties in Dubai as of 2020, with a recorded value of around $313 million. A C4ADS study published in May 2022 put the value at $315 million.

The study said 64 of the properties were in Dubai Marina and 19 in Palm Jumeirah. It also identified at least 100 villas and at least five buildings owned by Bangladeshis.

Four or five Bangladeshis were reportedly linked to properties worth around $44 million.