BFIU seeks bank details of eight
The country's anti-money laundering agency yesterday asked banks to send account details of eight people allegedly involved in illegally selling and grabbing of a 150-year-old Zaminder Bari in Moulvibazar.
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) asked banks to furnish it with the information in seven working days.
The eight people are Lal Miah, Achhar Uddin, Radhakanto Roy Purakayastha, Rajib Purakayastha, Md Abdul Hasib, Shamim Ahmad, Jashim Uddin and Jalal Ahmad.
In August, Ranjit Kumar Roy, one of the owners of the estate, filed a complaint with the BFIU, saying the eight had been trying to illegally sell and grab a portion of the Zaminder Bari located at Barlekha upazila in Moulvibazar.
He said the estate is a debutter (endowment) property that cannot be transferred or sold.
But Radhakanto, also an owner of the estate, provided power of attorney to Lal Miah and Achhar Uddin to sell a fraction of the property.
The proceeds from the sales were transferred to the account of Rajib Purakayastha, son of Radhakanto. Rajib holds dual US-Bangladeshi citizenship.
Hasib also committed crime as a deed writer, since the whole process took place breaching rules, according to the complaint.
Rajib told The Daily Star over mobile phone that he knows nothing about the BFIU move.
He added that not only his father but also all members of the family have long been involved in selling their share of the property.
A BFIU official said the agency was looking into whether the alleged people laundered any money by selling and grabbing the property.
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