The Criminal Investigation Department has filed a money laundering case against Jubo League leader and former Pallabi ward councillor Md Tajul Islam Chowdhury Bappi over allegations of laundering about Tk2.5 crore.
The case was filed with Pallabi Police Station against Tajul and six to seven unnamed associates under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (amended 2015), according to the CID Financial Crime Unit.
CID officials said Tajul, an influential leader in the Pallabi–Mirpur area, allegedly amassed large sums of money through extortion and fraud by controlling various sectors including transport, temporary footpath markets, garment scrap trading and dish and internet businesses.
CID Special Superintendent of Police Media Jasim Uddin Khan said investigators found discrepancies between Tajul’s declared income and his assets.
According to the information he submitted, Tajul claimed he earned Tk3,83,65,355 between 2014 and 2024 from businesses including a clothing firm named Smart Fashion, fish trading and an auto brick kiln called Messrs Chowdhury & Khan Auto Bricks in Morelganj of Bagerhat.
He also reported family expenditures of Tk1,11,83,270 during the same period, leaving possible savings of about Tk2,71,73,085.
However, CID investigators found the total value of his movable and immovable assets stood at around Tk4,27,22,471, indicating that he could not explain the source of about Tk1,55,49,386.
The investigation also found that the brick kiln in Morelganj had been established in a restricted area in violation of the Brick Manufacturing and Brick Kiln Establishment Control Act, 2013.
The Department of Environment issued a notice on Dec 15, 2024 ordering the closure of the kiln, and a mobile court later fined the establishment Tk1 lakh on Jan 30, 2025.
Despite these legal actions, Tajul reported earning about Tk48.48 lakh from the kiln, which investigators said appeared to be income from an illegal source.
CID investigators also found irregularities in a land purchase in North Senpara under Pallabi Police Station.
While the registered deed showed the land value as Tk5.65 lakh, investigators said the actual price was about Tk53.65 lakh, suggesting that the source of nearly Tk48 lakh had been concealed.
The inquiry found evidence that about Tk2,51,97,851 had been illegally earned, transferred and converted through various means.
Investigators also found transactions exceeding Tk56.86 crore through bank accounts linked to the accused, of which about Tk6,33,471 has been frozen under a court order.
CID officials further said audit reports of two companies submitted by Tajul for 2023 and 2024 were fake.
According to investigators, the reports were prepared in the name of chartered accountant SM Zakaria, who died during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating that the accused used his name and firm’s address to produce forged audit documents.
The case was registered at Pallabi Police Station on March 5, 2026 under sections 4(2) and 4(4) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 (amended 2015).
CID Special Superintendent of Police Media Jasim Uddin Khan said the agency is continuing its investigation with utmost importance to curb money laundering and financial crimes.
