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A Dhaka court has banned NASSA Group Chairman Nazrul Islam Mazumder, his wife, and children from travelling out of Bangladesh.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Jakir Hossain Galib passed the order following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday, bdnews24.com reports.
ACC Court Inspector Amir Hossain said that the national anti-graft watchdog’s Deputy Director Md Salahuddin moved the court seeking a ban on their travel.
ACC lawyer Rezaul Karim presented the petition at the hearing.
According to the petition, a four-strong team has been formed to investigate the case, and submit a report on the allegations of “money laundering” and acquisition of “illegal wealth” against NASSA Group’s former chairman and others.
Reports revealed that Mazumder, his wife Nasrin Islam, daughter Anika Islam, and son Walid Ibne Islam were trying to leave the country, and their departure would have hampered the investigation.
After the Awami League government was toppled on August 5, 2024 - by a mass uprising, some entrepreneurs in the banking sector, including Awami League leaders, went into hiding.
Mazumder, who was arrested on October 1, 2024, was excluded from the board of directors of Exim Bank on August 29, 2024 after the interim government came into power. Later, he also lost his position at the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB)
Mazumder’s departure from Exim Bank ended a 17-year leadership tenure.
A well-known figure in the banking sector, Mazumder had been the chairman of the bank since 2007. He was also appointed as the chairman of BAB in 2009.
He has been accused of soliciting donations from private banks for organising a football tournament during his tenure as BAB chairman.
Earlier, on August 25, 2024, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) had frozen Mazumder’s and Nasrin’s bank accounts, intensifying scrutiny of his financial dealings.
He is accused of extorting money from banks on several occasions, and changing the Bank Company Act to benefit entrepreneurs of the bank.