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The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) and Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) have ordered a freeze on bank and beneficiary owner (BO) accounts of withdrawn National Board of Revenue (NBR) official Matiur Rahman, and his family members.
Insiders say the BSEC has ordered the Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd (CDBL) to freeze the beneficiary owner (BO) accounts of Matiur and his family members.
Confirming the matter on Tuesday, BSEC Executive Director and spokesperson Rezaul Karim said the request came from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), as the agency has been investigating corruption allegations against Matiur.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has ordered all banks to freeze the accounts of Matiur and his family members for the next 30 days. The anti-money laundering unit sent a letter to managing directors and CEOs of state-owned and private banks in this regard.
The bank accounts belonging to Matiur Rahman, his first wife Laila Kaniz, first wife's children Farzana Rahman Ispita and Ahmed Taufiqur Rahman Arnob will be frozen, along with Matiur's second wife Shammi Akhtar Shibli, second wife's children Iftema Rahman Madhubi, Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, and Irfanur Rahman Irfan.
Who is Matiur?
According to various sources, Matiur joined the 13th batch of customs from the 11th batch of trade cadre by changing the cadre. After joining the new cadre, his influence and wealth began to increase.
This rise started during his tenure as the joint commissioner at the Custom House, Chattogram.
Over the years, Matiur has reportedly built up a lot of wealth anonymously. This list includes shares in various companies, land and amusement parks, and partnerships in capital market brokerage houses. His children also own dozens of companies in their names.
Matiur has since faced severe criticism over claims of acquiring illegal wealth amounting to thousands of crores of taka in Bangladesh, with alleged investments in Singapore, the United States, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates.
These allegations surfaced after a video went viral showing Matiur’s son Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat buying the pricey goat ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
Following a firestorm of criticism and social media frenzy surrounding his son's extravagant Eid-ul-Azha goat purchase worth Tk 12 lakh, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Member and President of the NBR’s Customs, Excise and VAT Appellate Tribunal Md Matiur Rahman was transferred to the Internal Resources Division (IRD) of the finance ministry on Sunday.
Then, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) formed a three-member committee to investigate the accusations of amassing illegal and money laundering wealth against Matiur.
A Dhaka court on Monday imposed a travel ban on Md Matiur Rahman, the recently removed president of the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) Customs, Excise, and VAT Appellate Tribunal, along with his wife Laila Kaniz and son Ahmed Toufikur Rahman Arnab.
He was removed from the director post of the state-owned Sonali Bank Plc the same day.
