A Dhaka court has imposed a travel ban on former Dhaka North City Corporation mayor Atiqul Islam, his wife, Shaila Shagufta Islam, and their daughter, Bushra Afreen.
The order was issued on Wednesday by Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Foyez of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court, following a request from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The ACC’s Deputy Director Md Saifuzzaman filed the application, citing ongoing investigations into alleged abuse of power, irregularities in tenders, and misuse of government funds in the procurement of mosquito larvicide spraying equipment.
The inquiry also covers allegations of corruption, embezzlement, and money laundering linked to Atiqul Islam and others.
Investigators have found that Atiqul Islam and his family hold assets both within Bangladesh—including locations outside Dhaka—and abroad, including in Canada and the United States. The commission expressed concern that the family might transfer or dispose of movable and immovable property and flee the country, potentially obstructing the investigation.
The court agreed that restricting their international travel is necessary to ensure the smooth progress of the inquiry.
Atiqul Islam was arrested on 16 October 2024 in the DOHS area of Mohakhali. Since then, he has been implicated in several cases and has been placed on remand in multiple instances.
The travel ban aims to ensure that the ongoing investigation proceeds without disruption and that all assets and alleged irregularities are thoroughly examined.
