‘GK Shamim has Tk 3.37b in 180 bank accounts’

Controversial contractor and expelled leader of Awami League’s associate organisation Jubo League Gulam Kibria Shamim (GK Shamim) has fixed deposits worth around Tk 3.37 billion in 180 bank accounts. He also owns two houses and around 52 kathas land in Dhaka city which worth around Tk 410 million.

GK Shamim amassed such a huge fortune through tender business by intimidating people and collecting 'toll' from bus terminals and animal markets, according to the charge sheet filed against him in a money laundering case.

Crime Investigation Department (CID) of police submitted the charge sheet against GK Shamim and his seven armed bodyguards to the chief metropolitan magistrate court on Wednesday evening.

Confirming the matter to Prothom Alo, CID’s senior assistant superintendent Abu Sayeed said that GK Shamim was trying to launder the ill-gotten money.

Other accused are Shamim’s bodyguards Delwar Hossain, 39, Murad Hossain, 52, Jahidul Islam, 41, Shahidul Islam, 36, Kamal Hossain, 49, Samshad Hossain and Aminul Islam, 34.

According to the charge sheet, GK Shamim made transactions of over Tk 60 billion between 2009 and 2019. Most of the transactions were made in 2018-19.

The charge sheet said a total of over Tk 30.42 billion was credited and 30.15 billion debited from Shamim’s accounts in this time.

Investigation officer Abu Sayeed said the court has frozen the fixed deposit of around Tk 3.37 billion. Over Tk 180 million in cash, 9,000 US dollars and 752 Singaporean dollars seized from Shamim during his arrest have been deposited in the state treasury.

Besides, the authorities have seized his 51.83 katha land and two houses in the city worth around Tk 410 million.

The CID charge sheet said, GK Shamim’s company GKB and Co got contracts of 154 projects under single and joint names. Before his arrest, Shamim withdrew over Tk 7.43 billion upon completion of 61 projects. And 93 more projects worth over Tk 48 billion is yet to be completed.

The charge sheet alleges that the bodyguards of Shamim used to win tenders of big projects by brandishing weapons and intimidating people. They also collect royalty fees for participating in the tender process.

Also, Shamim’s associates used to control gambling businesses and carry out extortion. He was trying to siphon off his ill-gotten money abroad, according to the charge sheet.

Additional deputy inspector general of CID’s organised crime department Kamrul Ahsan told Prothom Alo that they have prepared the charge sheet meticulously so that GK Shamim gets the highest punishment.

The maximum sentence in the case is 12 years jail and Kamrul hoped Shamim would get the maximum sentence.

RAB on 20 September last year arrested GK Shamim from his Niketan house amidst the anti-casino drive.

Later, it was learnt that he controlled around one-third of the public works department projects in the country.