Following the case at Pubali Bank, the National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) has seized two lockers belonging to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina at Agrani Bank. The lockers were seized today, Wednesday, based on a tip off.
According to NBR sources, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has two lockers at Agrani Bank’s main branch in Dilkusha, Dhaka (formerly the local office branch). The locker numbers are 751 and 753. The lockers were seized to investigate whether any tax evasion had occurred.
Earlier on 10 September, the NBR CIC seized a locker belonging to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Pubali Bank. The locker is at Pubali Bank’s Motijheel Corporate Branch in Sena Kalyan Bhaban. So far, a total of three lockers at Agrani and Pubali Banks have been seized.
According to NBR sources, two bank accounts of Sheikh Hasina have been found at the Pubali Bank branch. One account contains fixed deposits worth Tk 1.2 million, while another holds Tk 4.4 million. These accounts have now been seized, and withdrawals have been prohibited.
A senior official of the NBR’s intelligence cell told Prothom Alo that Sheikh Hasina’s lockers and accounts were seized in the interest of a broader investigation.
On 5 August last year, the Awami League government was ousted in the face of a student–people uprising. The then prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, resigned and left the country.
Afterwards, the interim government initiated investigations into tax evasion and corruption involving Sheikh Hasina and her family members. As part of this, the NBR seized Sheikh Hasina’s lockers.