A Dhaka court has imposed a travel ban on former Awami League lawmakers Benjir Ahmed and Mrinal Kanti Das, along with their wives, amid ongoing investigations into alleged illegal asset accumulation and suspicious financial transactions.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order on Wednesday allowing separate petitions filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The court also directed the authorities to block the National Identity Cards (NIDs) of the four individuals and to freeze their bank accounts and attach their immovable properties.
The ACC Deputy Assistant Director Md Julfikar filed petitions seeking the restrictions, citing serious allegations against the former lawmakers and their spouses.
According to the ACC, Benjir Ahmed, former lawmaker for Dhaka-20, is accused of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 17.99 crore and engaging in suspicious transactions of Tk 84.42 crore through 11 bank accounts.
Of the bank accounts, nine are under the name of Benjir and two in his wife Sahina’s name. The court also ordered to freeze share of a company and a deposit account in the name of Sahina.
Authorities have attached Benjir’s assets, including 231 decimals of his land in Dhamrai area, three flats in Dhaka’s New Eskaton and Dhanmondi neighborhoods, and several properties in Dhamrai City Centre Tower.
The total estimated value of these properties is Tk 14.8 crore. Additionally, Tk 15.8 crore in his nine bank accounts has been blocked.
The commission has already filed a case against Benjir and his wife in this connection. The accused may try to sell, hand over or transfer their ill-gotten properties to evade justice, the ACC plea mentioned.
Meanwhile, Mrinal Kanti Das, former MP for Munshiganj-3, faces allegations of acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 1.45 crore and conducting suspicious transactions of over Tk 16 crore across 30 bank accounts.
The court has ordered the attachment of a 1,785 sq ft flat in Dhanmondi and a 7.5-katha plot in Purbachal, with a combined estimated value of Tk 38.4 lakh. Tk 95.27 lakh held in his nine accounts at Mercantile Bank has also been frozen.
His wife, Neelima Das, is reported to own 31 decimal of a property in Mohammadpur’s Ramchandrapur residential area, including a jointly developed flat, valued at Tk 32.70 lakh. The court has frozen Tk 10.61 lakh in her 30 bank accounts.
The anti-graft body in its pleas said Mrinal Kanti Das allegedly amassed huge illegal wealth during his tenure as MP, by misusing power and through corruption.
The court’s orders come as part of the ACC’s ongoing drive against corruption and asset misappropriation by public officials.