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A Dhaka court on Wednesday ordered the freezing of 53 bank accounts held by various companies under the S Alam Group over money-laundering allegations.
Among the accounts, 33 are with First Security Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC, two with Mutual Trust Bank PLC, and 18 with Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC, collectively holding Tk 1.13 billion.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib issued the order following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
ACC Deputy Director Tahasin Monabil Haq, also chief of the joint investigation team, submitted the petition earlier in the day.
The ACC petition cited credible information that the S Alam Group companies were attempting to transfer or withdraw funds from these accounts, which would hamper recovery efforts.
Since the regime change on August 5 last year -- triggered by a mass uprising led by students and the public -- the special court has repeatedly ordered freezing and attachment of movable and immovable assets linked to the S Alam Group.
On June 24, the court froze overseas properties owned by S Alam Group owner Mohammed Saiful Alam and his wife Farzana Parveen in a related money laundering case.
Separately on Wednesday, the court also ordered the freezing of 18.94 million shares in 26 companies owned by former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, his family, and associates, amid attempts to transfer ownership. The shares have a face value of Tk 5.76 billion, according to the ACC petition.
Md Mashiur Rahman, another deputy director of the ACC, submitted the petition, while ACC Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam moved it before the court.
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