Ashiyan City Managing Director Nazrul Islam Bhuiyan is facing a fresh legal battle after an actress filed a case accusing him of assaulting her when she rejected what she described as “objectionable proposals”.
The latest allegation adds to a series of complaints against the real estate businessman, who has also faced accusations of large loan defaults, land grabbing and involvement in numerous criminal cases.
According to the case filed with Dhaka’s Khilkhet Police Station, model and actress Snigdha Chowdhury said a man named Imon called her last Friday night and asked her to meet Nazrul on the pretext of discussing a role in a television commercial.
Snigdha alleged that she was physically assaulted after rejecting Nazrul’s indecent proposals. Police said they were searching for the Ashiyan City managing director, although reports suggested that he continued to attend his office as usual.
Nazrul, however, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the allegations were entirely fabricated. He accused the actress of filing the case with fraudulent intent.
Nazrul has previously faced allegations involving land encroachment, harassment and loan defaults amounting to thousands of crores of taka.
Despite numerous formal complaints lodged with the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the police, alleged victims said they had yet to receive justice.
Khilkhet Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Sohrab Al Hossain said Nazrul had become alert after Snigdha went live on Facebook several times. He said several police teams were conducting raids to arrest Nazrul, who remained at large.
The officer-in-charge confirmed that Nazrul was the sole accused in the case filed by Snigdha.
Speaking to TIMES, Snigdha said she feared for her safety and had received death threats and pressure to settle the matter. She also alleged that she had received no cooperation from the police.
Nazrul disputed her account, claiming that Snigdha was intoxicated and had visited him to blackmail him. He said her mother had been present during the meeting.
Snigdha rejected the claim, saying her mother had left after guests arrived at their home. She said the atmosphere at Nazrul’s premises had been cordial at that time.
She also accused an influential leader of the Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP, who is a state minister, of acting as Nazrul’s “pillar of power”. She alleged that Nazrul had secured bail following a financial transaction with the politician.
The officer-in-charge, however, said he was unaware of any such bail.
Aminul Haque, convener of the Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP and state minister for youth and sports, said he had returned to Bangladesh on Saturday after attending a Commonwealth event. He said he had been occupied with the Notun Kuri sports programme on Sunday and Monday.
He denied any knowledge of the matter.
“If she [Snigdha] has directly named me anywhere, I will challenge it and file a defamation case,” he said.
The state minister suggested that others might have coached Snigdha to make the allegations.
Litany of allegations against Nazrul
Complaints of fraud and land grabbing involving Ashiyan City are widespread in the capital’s Dakshinkhan, Uttarkhan, Khilkhet and Barua areas.
Md Alauddin, a resident of Dakshinkhan, alleged that people associated with Ashiyan City had threatened to evict his family and seize land they purchased in 1997. He said Dakshinkhan Police Station had refused to record his complaint.
Another alleged victim, Monwara Begum, claimed that land belonging to hundreds of people had been occupied over the past two decades for the Ashiyan City project under the patronage of several Awami League leaders, leaving the original owners without legal recourse.
SM Sanaullah, another complainant, alleged that a boundary wall and six pillars on his 12-katha plot adjacent to Ashiyan City had been demolished.
He also claimed that the company was constructing structures that did not comply with approved designs and was disregarding Rajuk directives.
Md Hasanzaman, an official of Rajuk Zone 2, told TIMES that the authority continued to receive numerous complaints against the company.
He said Ashiyan City had repeatedly been warned through official letters and mobile court actions but had failed to comply with the directives.
A source also claimed that Nazrul had been named in 23 murder cases linked to the July–August 2024 anti-discrimination movement.
Inspector Md Sohrab Al Hossain of Khilkhet Police Station confirmed that Nazrul and several people associated with Ashiyan City faced numerous cases at different police stations over a range of allegations, including land disputes.
Snigdha further alleged that a case had been filed against Nazrul at Gulshan Police Station in 2013 over the assault of DGFI Corporal Abu Taher. TIMES could not independently verify the claim.
