National Board of Revenue (NBR) has directed banks and financial institutions to freeze the accounts of around 100 individuals suspected of financing activities aimed at creating unrest in the country’s readymade garment sector.
As part of an investigation into whether funds belonging to these individuals and businesses were used to instigate unrest in the garment industry, the revenue authority has also requested detailed transaction records of 125 companies.
Sources at NBR said two intelligence units of the authority sent letters to banks and financial institutions, requesting them to identify and freeze the bank accounts of the listed individuals and provide full transaction records of these companies.
Most individuals on the list reportedly have links to the ousted Awami League government. They include former ministers, lawmakers, influential businesspeople, and their family members.
According to revenue authority sources, investigators also uncovered indications of financial transactions conducted through mobile financial services and cryptocurrencies.
A senior official at the NBR, requesting anonymity, said the initiative to identify and freeze the accounts was taken based on information provided by several government agencies.
When asked about the grounds for the investigation, the official said the individuals and companies face accusations of funding activities that contributed to unrest in the garment sector, adding that financial records are being examined to verify the claims.
According to the sources, some individuals on the list are currently in jail, while others are absconding. The investigation into the allegations remains ongoing, and officials said the list could expand as the process progresses.
They could not specify when the probe would be completed.
