In a significant move reinforcing the government’s anti-corruption drive, a Dhaka court has directed the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to confiscate assets owned by former Director General of Forces Intelligence(DGFI) chief Lieutenant General (retd) Md Saiful Alam, along with properties belonging to his wife Lubna Afroze and daughter Sarah Jumana.
The order, issued by Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court, includes the seizure of several immovable properties allegedly acquired through illicit means. These include 14 kathas of land in Dhaka’s Pallabi and Narayanganj’s Purbachal in Saiful’s name, nine flats in Savar owned by his wife, and a flat in Pallabi under his daughter’s name.
Additionally, the court froze three bank accounts linked to the family, which hold a combined total of Tk 2,13,588.35.
The ACC had sought the court’s intervention after learning, through credible sources, that the family might attempt to transfer their assets in light of the ongoing corruption investigation. The ACC stated that Saiful had amassed wealth far beyond his known sources of income, using both his name and those of close family members.
The case against Saiful is part of a widening investigation into alleged misconduct and financial irregularities during his tenure as Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), a post he held from February 28, 2020, to July 5, 2021.
The ACC previously raided Saiful’s Cantonment residence on February 28 this year, seizing Tk 2.425 crore in cash. He was not present during the operation, according to officials.
Legal troubles have continued to mount for the former intelligence chief. On January 6, the International Crimes Tribunal issued an arrest warrant against him over allegations of involvement in enforced disappearances. Reports suggest that some victims were detained in the Joint Interrogation Cell within the DGFI compound during his leadership.
Lt Gen Saiful Alam was forcibly retired from the Bangladesh Army on September 10, 2024, under Section 289(A) of the Army Regulations, which allows removal due to misconduct or inefficiency. Notably, just a day after the Awami League government was ousted on August 5, 2024, Saiful was assigned to the foreign ministry—though his posting did little to shield him from subsequent legal scrutiny.
As the anti-graft investigation unfolds, the case is drawing national attention for its implications on military accountability, political transitions, and the state’s commitment to rooting out high-level corruption.