Bashundhara Group chief, family charged with amassing Tk 107cr

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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday pressed charges against Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan (Shah Alam), his wife, and their four sons in a case filed for amassing wealth worth about Tk 107 crore beyond their known sources of income.

They were also charged with concealing information regarding wealth worth about Tk 14.17 crore in the wealth statement submitted earlier to the commission.

The charge sheeted accused are Shah Alam, his wife Afroza Begum, and their sons Shahdat Sobhan Tanvir, Safayat Sobhan Sanvir, Sayem Sobhan Anvir and Safowan Sobhan Tajvir.

ACC Deputy Director Mahbubur Rahman, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court of Dhaka, showing 34 people as prosecution witnesses.

Shah Alam’s wife and sons have been made accused for abetting him.

The charge sheet was submitted under sections 26 (2), and 27 (1) of ACC Act, 2004, 15 of Emergency Power Rules (EPR), 2007, and 109 of the Penal Code.

The IO prayed for issuance of arrest warrants against Shah Alam and others and the order to attach their properties, as they have been absconding since the case was filed.

In the charge sheet, the IO mentioned that during the investigation, he found that wealth belonging to Shah Alam and his family is worth about Tk 625.43 crore.

Out of this, Shah Alam and his family members have amassed wealth worth Tk 606.66 crore illegally and given false information about wealth worth Tk 14.17 crore to the ACC.

The charge sheet also mentioned that out of the total illegal wealth, Shah Alam and family members earlier whitened Tk 498.84 crore, which was not brought under trial. Also, Shah Alam paid Tk 21 crore to detained former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar to cover up the Humayun Kabir Sabbir murder case.

The money was paid to save Alam’s son Safayat Sobhan Sanvir from murder charges. The IO did not show the amount of money in this charge sheet, as another bribery case has been filed against the family which is now pending at a special court.

In the charge sheet, the IO mentioned that Shah Alam and his family would be brought under trial for amassing wealth worth about Tk 107.81 crore through illegal means and concealing information of wealth worth Tk 14.17 crore from the ACC.

The charges brought against Shah Alam and his family were primarily proved and they will be brought under trial.

ACC Deputy Director Abdullah Al Zahid lodged the case with the Ramna police station on December 9 last year, accusing Shah Alam, his wife and their sons of committing the offences.

In the case statement, the complainant accused Shah Alam and his family members of amassing wealth through illegal means and concealing wealth information.

The accused in this case have already been convicted for dodging income tax and money laundering in other cases.

All five members of the family are absconding.

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