A court has ordered the taking custody and freezing of Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, the head of the Bashundhara Group, and eight members of his family’s moveable and immovable assets overseas. After the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed an application, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md. Zakir Hossain issued the ruling on November 21.
Their three sons, Sayem Sobhan Anvir, Safiat Sobhan, and Safwan Sobhan, as well as their daughters-in-law, Sabrina Sobhan, Sonia Ferdousi Sobhan, and Yasha Sobhan, are included with Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his wife, Afroz Begum. The court has received information from the ACC on these individuals’ bank activities, real estate purchases, and investments totaling nearly Tk 143 crore. Additionally, information on other overseas bank accounts, homes, and investments was provided; however, the ACC’s report does not specify their financial worth.
None of the family members had authorization from the Bangladesh Bank to send money overseas, according to the ACC. Investigations showed that the accused had obtained sizable loans in their company’s name, some of which were embezzled overseas to buy real estate and make investments, according to the ACC’s plea to the court. The family has invested in 19 businesses across many nations, the ACC told the court. It is important to note that Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family were previously prohibited from traveling by a Dhaka court on October 21. The court had already ordered their bank accounts to be frozen on October 6.
Source: Samakal
