Millions of taka in bank account of NSI official's wife

A total of Tk 1.26 billion has been deposited to the bank account of Suraiya Parvin, wife of National Security Intelligence (NSI) assistant director Akram Hossain, over the last 15 years. More than Tk 1.25 billion has been withdrawn from the bank account in that time. Although the business is shown in the name of the wife, it was the NSI official who did the bank transactions.

The couple has several flats, shops and lands in Dhaka. They also have a house and land in Natore. The couple also purchased lands in Saint Martin's Island of Cox's Bazar. They also own a commercial building in Savar’s Birulia.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has lodged a case against the couple after finding evidence acquiring assets beyond known source of income. The ACC has information of his assets beyond known source of income worth more than Tk 67 million. He concealed information of assets worth Tk 16.1 million in his asset statement submitted to the ACC. Besides, the ACC has information of Suraiya’s assets beyond known sources of income worth Tk 2.1 million.

Speaking regarding this, ACC deputy director Mashiur Rahman told Prothom Alo on Tuesday that a case has been lodged against Akram Hossain and Suraiya Parvin on 21 May. The next legal actions will be taken after the investigation.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an ACC official told Prothom Alo that Akram Hossain, while serving as the assistant of the NSI directors, abused his power by intimidating political leaders and businesspersons by submitting negative reports on them and collecting huge sums of money from them.

He made huge assets with this money. Later, the ACC launched the investigation after his activities drew controversy.

Akram, a resident of Nawpara in Natore, joined the NSI as a lower division clerk in 1989. Some eight years after that he became a junior field officer through taking part in the exam as a divisional candidate. In 2016, he was promoted to the post of assistant director

The ACC started the investigation regarding the assets owned by the NSI official and his wife. As per the ACC investigation, Akram first bought 24 decimals of lands in Natore in 2002. Later, he purchased a total of 208 decimals of lands in his and his wife’s name till 2020 at different places, including Dhaka and the Saint Martin’s Island. He purchased the most in between 2014 and 2020.

Akram opened a business firm on his wife’s name in 2008 to legalise his illicit properties. However, there are no valid documents of that business, according to the ACC report. The ACC analysed the transaction history of 25 bank accounts and realised such huge amount of transactions doesn’t comply with the size of Suraiya’s business.

The ACC said in the case statement that a total of Tk 1,263,315,144 was deposited to the 25 bank accounts of Suraiya Parvin in between 2009 and 2023. At the same time, some Tk 1,252,574,904 was withdrawn from these accounts, which is abnormal.

The case statement further says that although the two business firms named Star Electra World and Leera Tours and Travels Limited are owned by Suraiya, her husband Akram Hossain did all the bank transactions.

Akram bought a 16.4-decimal-land in the Birulia Pukurpar area of Savar. A six-storey building named ‘Star Complex’ has been constructed there. He built the factory of the ‘Star Electro World’, owned by his wife, from the first to fifth floor of the building. The company produces electric goods including electric fans and lights.

Akram told the ACC that he spent Tk 4,732,000 for the construction of the building. However, the ACC has found that the actual construction cost of the building is over Tk 56.8 million. In that case Akram concealed the information of spending Tk 16,179,000.

Prothom Alo recently spoke to the security guard of the building Afzal Pramanik in Birulia of the capital. He said a person named Akram owned the building. However, the building is empty from the first to fifth floor. Only the sixth floor has been rented to a garments factory.

This correspondent spoke to some locals regarding the building recently. None of them wanted to disclose their identities. They said Electro World used to assemble the electric parts they purchased from abroad to make electric products. A lot of people used to work there in the company during the initial days.

A local shopkeeper said on condition of anonymity that a government official owns the building. He visits the factory every Friday

Akram, along with his family, lives in a 1,500-square feet-flat in the Senpara area of ​​Mirpur. The flat, located on the third floor of a building named 'Mega Harbour,' was bought in 2015 in the name of Akram and his wife for Tk 2.2 million. 

During a recent visit, the building’s manager, Altaf Ali, told Prothom Alo that Akram lives there with his family, including two children. When asked if his wife is involved in any business, Altaf said, “Madam stays at this residence. I do not see her going out much.”

Nurul Islam, a security guard of the building, said Akram has a car and he uses it for family outings. He usually rides a motorcycle to commute to and from the office.

According to the ACC investigation, Akram has a 100-square-feet shop in the same area of Mirpur. Besides, there are two flats and a commercial space of 1,650 square feet in the name of Suraiya. 

During a conversation with Prothom Alo on 8 May, Akram Hossain claimed that all the assets in his and his wife's names are legal and acquired through his wife's business income. All these assets are reported in their income tax returns.

Iftekharuzzaman, the executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said it is nothing new for the law enforcement and intelligence officers to acquire wealth by harassing the people. It should be investigated how he acquired the assets. 

He also underscored the need for monitoring the NSI officials who monitor the people.