Former law minister Anisul Huq shown arrested in money laundering case now
Former law minister Anisul Huq and his personal assistant (PS) Md Rashedul Kawser Bhuiyan have been shown arrested in a money laundering case, lodged over allegations of collecting nearly Tk 2.5 billion through extortion and money laundering.
Dhaka metropolitan magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam granted the plea seeking their arrest from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
CID inspector Md Ashraful Islam, the investigating officer of the case, placed the plea before the court on 20 February in the presence of the accused. Following that, the court fixed 2 March for further proceedings.
According to the case statement, the CID’s financial crime unit in their primary investigation has found that the accused, in collusion, formed an organised criminal network that systematically amassed large sums of money through extortion over an extended period.
It further states, this ring, reportedly collected a regular monthly extortion of Tk 1million from different persons and institutions through the Gulshan branch of National Bank of Pakistan.
Investigations revealed that the accused Md Kamruzzaman joined the National Bank of Pakistan as managing director (MD) in 2015. Since his appointment, he regularly transferred funds to the personal bank account of Toufika Karim by executing a nominal legal consultancy agreement with her law firm, ‘Sirajul Huq Associates’.
The case statement further says that the syndicate extracted a total of Tk 108 million from the National Bank of Pakistan alone until they went into hiding on 5 August 2024. Furthermore, the CID investigation uncovered evidence of approximately Tk 106 million being collected as extortion from various individuals and institutions into the personal bank account of Toufika Karim.
The plea further mentioned that Anisul Huq appointed his close associates Toufika Karim and Md Rashedul Kawser Bhuiyan Jibon as his personal assistant (PS) after becoming a minister. Subsequently, he established an NGO named ‘Legal Assistance to Helpless Prisoners and Persons’. Within that NGO, Anisul Huq served as the treasurer, having appointed Toufika Karim as chairman and Rashedul Kawser Bhuiyan Jibon as secretary general. Tolls were regularly collected from various individuals and organisations through an account maintained in the name of this NGO at the Supreme Court branch of Sonali Bank PLC.
The police also have information regarding the syndicate siphoning of Tk 245.36 million between 11 March 2015 and 30 June 2024. Preliminary evidence regarding the allegations against the accused has been uncovered during the investigation of the case. The case remains under investigation. It is absolutely essential to show them arrested in this case for the sake of a proper investigation.
Anisul Huq was arrested following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024. He has remained in prison since then.