Court orders to seize ex-IGP Benazir’s 4 Gulshan flats, properties under 133 deeds

A Dhaka court has ordered to attach properties held by former inspector general of police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, his wife and their children from under total 113 deeds, as well as four apartments in the capital’s Gulshan.

The court also ordered to freeze their shares at various private firms.

Ash Shams Jaglul Hossain, a senior special metropolitan judge of Dhaka, passed the order on Sunday.

Mahmud Hossain Jahangir, public prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo.

He said the court ordered Thursday to seize ex-IGP Benazir’s assets from 83 purchase records. As more wealth was traced later, the ACC appealed to the court on Sunday and the court ordered to attach his properties.

On Thursday, the same court ordered to attach 114 acres or 345 bighas of land and freeze 33 accounts in various banks.

Meanwhile, the ACC started implementing court orders on attachment of properties and freeze of bank accounts.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told Prothom Alo on Saturday the agency received the copy of the court orders and opened the process, and the order copies will be sent to the government offices and the banks concerned gradually.

Benazir Ahmed was the IGP from 15 April 2020 to 30 September 2022. He also served as commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and director general of the Rapid Action Battalion. The US imposed sanctions on seven former and current officials of RAB including Benazir Ahmed, IGP at the time, for human rights abuses in December 2021.

ACC probe found that Benazir Ahmed, his wife, children and several relatives altogether own about 114 acres or 345 bighas of land, with wife Zeeshan Mirza having the largest share.

PP Mahmud Hossain told Prothom Alo no money can be withdrawn from bank accounts opened in Benazir's name, his wife and children’s. No assets can be handed over either, and those will be under the supervision of court.