Bashundhara Group chairman, MD, 5 family members face travel ban

A Dhaka court has issued a travel ban on Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, managing director Sayem Sobhan Anvir and five other members of their family.

Judge Mohammed Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court passed the order on Monday following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo.

According to court sources, the court slapped travel ban on Bashundhara Group chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, his wife Afroza Begum, his four sons -- Sadat Sobhan, Sayem Sobhan Anvir, Safiat Sobhan Sanvir and Safwan Sobhan, and Sadat’s wife Sonia Ferdowshi Sobhan and Anvir’s wife Sabrina Sobhan.

The ACC told the court that investigation is underway against Bashundhara Group chairman and his family members under various provisions of the money laundering acts relating to money laundering, tax evasion, land grabbing, loan fraudulence, embezzlement, amassing wealth and transferring illegally and currency conversation.

ACC deputy director Nazmul Hossain told the court it was necessary to bar them from travelling abroad.

The same court also issued separate travel bans on former home minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former state minister for labour and employment Begum Monnujan Sufian, as well as four people of AnonTex Group -- Mohammad Yunus, Kazi Mustafa Sarwar, Abdullah Siddique and Mohammad Kabir Hossain.