The government is going to take decision within a week about the fate of 298 frozen bank accounts of politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats who were sued on corruption or tax evasion charges during the rule of the immediate past caretaker government.
“I hope the decision regarding the frozen bank accounts will come within a week,” Finance Minister AMA Muhith told the news agency yesterday.
He however indicated that it is a critical issue, which will require to be settled through inter-ministerial effort, and even with concurrence of the highest level of the government.
The finance ministry is already working on the matter, but it is not a matter for this ministry alone to deal with, Muhith said.
“Finance, law and home ministries are involved in this matter. We also sought the involvement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” the finance minister added.
Following the 1/11 changeover in 2007, the military-backed caretaker government through the now-defunct national coordination committee on corruption and serious crime probed into the bank accounts of these high-profile persons.
In that investigation, the committee had found irregularities, including tax dodging, in these 298 bank accounts. Later, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) ordered freezing of these accounts.
The corruption suspects were either thrown behind bars or they went into hiding amid a countrywide crackdown.
The holders of the frozen bank accounts include former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Arafat Rahman Koko, her brother Maj (retd) Shamim Iskandar, her former political advisers Harris Chowdhury and Mosaddek Ali Falu, assignment officer Dr Firoj Mahmud Iqbal, nephew Shahrin Islam Tuhin and his wife Ayesha Islam, controversial businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun, former ministers of the four-party alliance government Moudud Ahmed, Nazmul Huda, Shahjahan Siraj and his wife Rabeya Siraj, son Rajib Siraj Opu and son's wife Farjana Khan, Mirza Abbas, Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury, Mir Mohammad Nasir, AKM Musharraf Hossain, Amanullah Aman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Sajahan Omor, Ziaul Haq Zia, former Khulna City Corporation mayor Shaikh Tayebur Rahman, former MPs Naser Rahman, Habibul Islam Habib, Wadud Bhuiyan, Dewan Muhammad Salauddin, , Ali Azgar Lobi, Rashiduzzaman Millat, Kazi Salimul Haq, former Dhaka City Corporation commissioner Monwar Hossain Dipjal, Doctors Association of Bangladesh leader Dr Jahid Hossain and his wife Rifat Hossain.
The others include former ministers Mohammad Nasim, Eng Mosharraf Hossain, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Anwar Hossain Monju and his wife Tasmima Hossain, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, ex-chief whip Abul Hasnat Abdullah and his wife, former MPs Joynal Hazari, AHM Mostafa Kamal (Lotus Kamal), Haji Maqbul Hossain, his wife Fatema Tahera and son Masudur Rahman, Dr HBM Iqbal and his wife Dolly Iqbal, Dipu Chowdhury, son of former minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Shadab Akbar, son of former minister Sajeda Chowdhury, Mostafa Rashidi Suja and his wife Khodeja Suja, Sheikh Helal and his wife Rupa Chowdhury , Swechchasebak League President AFM Bahauddin Nasim and secretary Pankaj Debnath, owner of Orion Group Obaidul Karim and four members of his family, Giridharilal Modi of Uttara Group, Salman F Rahman of Beximco Group, former additional IGP Shahidullah Khan, Proshika Chairman Kazi Farook Ahmed, ex-adviser to the caretaker government justice Fazlul Haq, former secretary Ismail Jabiullah, former NBR member ATM Sarwar and his wife, former member of the PSC Mahfuzur Rahman and former MD of Sonali Bank Tahmirur Rahman.