Suspicious transactions of Tk539cr, $517,000 found in Taposh's bank accounts

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has found information regarding suspicious transactions of Tk 539.16 crore and $517,000 in 27 bank accounts of Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, the former mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation.

The transactions, which occurred between 22 September 2013 and 19 August 2024, are inconsistent with his known sources of income, said ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain while talking to reporters on Sunday (5 January).

Additionally, he said, the anti-graft watchdog has filed a case against Taposh for allegedly acquiring assets worth Tk 73.19 crore beyond his known income.

Akhtar said that out of the total suspicious transactions, Tk304,33,58,528 was deposited, while Tk234,82,66,750 was withdrawn from Taposh's accounts. Similarly, $263,736 was deposited and $253,791 was withdrawn.

On 7 October last year, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) directed banks to freeze all accounts of Taposh, his wife Afrin Taposh, and their younger son Fazle Nashwan.

A series of account freezes occurred after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on 5 August, following student-led protests. Since the AL government's ouster, the bank accounts of several ministers, MPs, AL leaders and businessmen affiliated with the then ruling party have been frozen.

On 3 August, two days before the Awami League government fell, Taposh was spotted on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight to Singapore. A photo of Taposh on the Biman flight had gone viral on social media.