The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police has frozen and confiscated assets worth Tk2,000 crore over the past six months in an intensified crackdown on money laundering and illicit wealth.

According to Jasim Uddin Khan, special superintendent of the CID, the department has filed a number of cases involving suspicious transactions of around Tk5,000 crore between May and October.

“Of the amount, Tk2,000 crore has been frozen and confiscated after obtaining court orders,” Jasim told the Daily Sun on Thursday.

In its latest move, the CID froze Tk3.28 crore held in the bank accounts of former Sirajganj-1 MP Tanvir Shakil Joy and several individuals linked to him.

Investigators from the Financial Crime Unit have detected unusual transactions amounting to Tk1,208 crore across 96 bank accounts belonging to Joy, his relatives and associates.

The frozen accounts include those of Joy, his mother Laila Arjumanda Banu, his wife Sabrina Sultana Chowdhury and other related persons.

Jasim said that preliminary inquiries revealed Joy had amassed the funds through cheating, forgery, extortion, organised crimes and money laundering.

He added that investigators are now tracing Joy’s movable and immovable assets, including those suspected to be held abroad.

Over the past few months, the CID has taken similar action against a number of high-profile figures, businesspeople and companies accused of amassing illegal wealth and laundering large sums of money.

On 16 October, it confiscated three flats worth Tk4 crore owned by BSB Global Network’s owner Khairul Bashar, and on 30 November, seized assets worth Tk42.85 crore.

On 1 October, the CID confiscated wealth worth Tk10 crore owned by businessman Sham Ghos.

On 29 September, the department froze Tk87 crore belonging to former Law Minister Anisul Huq.

Earlier, on 1 September, it confiscated Tk33 crore owned by a business group that had earlier been accused of laundering Tk887 crore.

On 20 August, the CID seized Tk500 crore in assets belonging to Ruhul Amin, a key figure in a manpower export syndicate.

On 30 July, it confiscated Tk7 crore in assets owned by drug trader Shahin Alam, while on 16 July, assets worth Tk400 crore belonging to former minister Gazi Golam Dastagir were seized.

The CID also confiscated Tk400 crore owned by Al Akaba Samity on 20 July. On 28 July, Tk17.5 crore belonging to former MP Bahar Uddin Bahar and his daughter, former Cumilla City mayor Tahsina Bahar, was frozen.

Tk5 crore in 13 accounts belonging to Motalles was frozen on 31 July.

On 26 June, Tk62 crore worth of assets of Dhamaka Shopping was confiscated, while on 24 May, Tk18 crore held in 35 bank accounts of journalist Munni Shaha was frozen. Alongside these seizures, the CID has filed a series of new money-laundering cases in recent months.

On 27 October, it lodged a case against Nafisa Kamal and eight entities for laundering Tk33.88 crore.

On 8 October, another case was filed against nine people accused of laundering Tk34 crore through online gambling and hundi networks.

Former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury was accused on 4 September of laundering Tk1,200 crore.

The CID also brought charges against Motalles Hossain on 7 September for laundering Tk15 crore, while on 28 September, 14 people were accused of laundering Tk40 crore.

Another case filed on 30 September involved six individuals accused of laundering Tk608 crore.  On 20 August, a money-laundering case was brought against the directors of Al Akaba Samity in Jamalpur under the Money Laundering Act.

CID officials said the ongoing operations are part of a nationwide effort to recover illicit wealth, tighten financial oversight, and dismantle networks that have long enabled corruption and large-scale money laundering.

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The reporter can be reached at: [email protected]

Edited by Munir Hossain