Travel ban issued against Saber, family

A Dhaka court yesterday issued a travel ban on former environment minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, his wife Rehana Chowdhury and four of his family members over corruption allegations brought against them.

The four others are Saber's sons Hamdan Hossain Chowdhury and Araj Alam Chowdhury and his daughters, Raimah Chowdhury and Alisha Babar Chowdhury.

Judge Md Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after ACC Deputy Director Md Saiduzzaman, who is leading the inquiry team, submitted an application in this regard.

ACC Public Prosecutor MA Salauddin Eskander Prince moved the application on behalf of the anti-graft body.

In the application, the ACC official said Saber amassed a huge amount of money through illegal means, irregularities and corruption. The couple earned illegal wealth in different countries, including Canada, the UK and USA in their names and the names of their family members.

"The ACC came to know from a credible source that they were attempting to flee the country. If they flee, an inquiry into the allegations brought against them might be hampered. So, an order is needed to prevent them from doing them," said the application.

The judge also directed the ACC to send a copy of the order to the additional inspector general of police of the Special Branch, Malibagh in Dhaka, for the next course of action.