The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has officially sent information to the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) regarding alleged laundered assets linked to Safiat Sobhan Sanvir and Safwan Sobhan, the two sons of Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan.
This was confirmed by ACC Chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen during a media briefing at the ACC headquarters in Dhaka on Monday.
“We have sent additional asset information to the UK today, which includes details of properties linked to Sobhan’s sons, Safiat and Safwan,” said the ACC chief.
The ACC is currently investigating allegations against Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family, including tax evasion, illegal land occupation, embezzlement of bank loans, and laundering of illicit funds through asset transfers. As part of the inquiry, they have been summoned for questioning by the ACC.
The ACC has also sent information to the UK regarding properties allegedly owned by Anisuzzaman Chowdhury Rony—brother of former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed—and Mohammad Adnan Imam, former chairman of the Executive Committee of NRBC Commercial Bank.
“We are hopeful that these efforts will soon yield results,” said the ACC chairman.
Notably, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) recently froze assets belonging to former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed, based on information shared by the ACC. In a similar case in May, the NCA also froze assets owned by Ahmed Shayan F Rahman, son of former adviser to the Prime Minister Salman F Rahman, and his cousin Ahmed Shahriar Rahman.
To accelerate the recovery of laundered assets, the ACC chairman and the Governor of Bangladesh Bank recently visited London with Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus. During the visit, they met with the NCA and the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre (IACCC).
“We submitted a preliminary list of laundered assets and related court orders to the authorities in London. The NCA responded very effectively by freezing several properties purchased with illicit funds by Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed. We have formally thanked them for their cooperation,” Abdul Momen said.
According to him, the asset freeze order was issued during their London visit. “We’ve identified 580 properties linked to Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed — 343 in the UK, 228 in the UAE, and 9 in the United States. Excluding assets in Bangladesh, the UK properties alone are estimated to be worth GBP 73.15 million (approximately TK 1,025 crore). These assets have been frozen by the NCA,” he added.
Additionally, bank deposits worth around USD 2.5 million (approximately BDT 35 crore) have also been frozen. The ACC believes Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed owns more assets in other countries, and legal processes are underway to take action there as well.
Abdul Momen also mentioned that the ACC has sent Mutual Legal Assistance Requests (MLARs) to countries including the UK, USA, UAE, and Singapore, with the UK responding first.
During the London meetings, efforts were made to establish a framework for international cooperation. “Bangladesh still lacks experience in these types of investigations and legal proceedings. The NCA has agreed to provide training. A foreign expert has already started working with us,” he said.
Bangladesh Bank is also actively involved, with its governor attending meetings in London and giving interviews about the issue.
However, the ACC chief cautioned that recovering the assets will require both Bangladeshi and British court approvals. “We must present solid claims supported by court orders; without UK court consent, the assets cannot be repatriated,” he clarified.
Investigations are ongoing into several other individuals beyond Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Jabed. “All of these cases and any recovery efforts will be pursued through the ACC, in coordination with the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU),” he added.
When asked whether any informal negotiations were being held to recover funds, Abdul Momen responded firmly: “ACC’s cases are criminal in nature and non-compoundable. There is no scope for negotiation or compromise.”
He acknowledged the challenges: “Recovering foreign-laundered money is difficult. Host countries often view these assets as their own unless we can prove they were illicitly transferred. Even then, the legal process is complex and costly. We cannot guarantee the recovery of all stolen funds, but we are committed to recovering what we can prove.”
On whether ACC acts impartially, he said: “We took action based on evidence during the previous government’s tenure and will continue to do so now. We do not act based on political identity.”
Explaining further, he said, “Just sending a local court verdict abroad isn’t enough. We must prove how the money was transferred, which banks were involved, and how it was converted into assets. Nothing happens without solid proof.”
The ACC chairman noted that some assets have been traced to the Cayman Islands but remain under investigation.
He was also asked about allegations that some Awami League members are residing in India, financing their lifestyle with laundered money. “There is an extradition agreement with India from 2011 which we could use if needed,” he replied.
Addressing reports about three current ministers allegedly holding dual citizenship in the UK, he said an investigation into dual nationality at the government level is ongoing as it could potentially facilitate money laundering.
Regarding coordination among the four agencies working on money laundering, he said, “We haven’t observed any major lack of coordination from the ACC’s side, but proper coordination is necessary given the involvement of multiple agencies.”
“We’ve noticed that many individuals are authorising others to sell their Bangladeshi assets from abroad through power of attorney. This needs to be scrutinised closely,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of impartiality: “Any signs of political tagging or bias during verification of complaints will be examined. We seek cooperation from all quarters to strengthen the ACC. Whistleblowers and informants are our partners. If anyone provides documented allegations—even against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina or her family—we will consider them. We have limitations, but we do not stop. We will keep moving forward.”
