Bangladesh court orders seizure of ex-IGP Benazir’s daughter Raisa’s flat in Dubai, freeze on accounts

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of a flat in Dubai belonging to Tahsin Raisa Binte Benazir, daughter of former inspector general of police Benazir Ahmed, and the freezing of two accounts in her name.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib issued the order on Thursday following a plea filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The anti-graft body’s spokesperson Akhtarul Islam said Deputy Director Md Zainal Abedin had sought the order.

Accusing Raisa of money laundering, the petition said it was “necessary” to seize her immovable properties and freeze movable ones to bring back the proceeds from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

The ACC filed four cases against Benazir, his wife and two daughters on Dec 15 bringing charges of acquiring illicit assets worth Tk 740 million against them.

The case alleges that Benazir acquired wealth worth Tk 94.4 million outside his known sources of income and concealed information about assets worth Tk 26.2 million.

His wife Zeeshan Mirza allegedly acquired wealth beyond means worth Tk 316.9 million and concealed information about assets worth Tk 161 million.

Their eldest daughter Farheen Rishta Binte Benazir and her younger sister Raisa allegedly acquired illicit assets worth Tk 87.5 million and Tk 55.9 million, respectively.

Benazir served as Bangladesh’s police chief from April 2020 to September 2022. Before that, he headed the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from January 2015 to April 2020.