NBR Orders Freezing of Bank Accounts of 204 People and Institutions Over Alleged Financing of Garment Unrest

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has ordered the freezing of bank accounts of 204 people and institutions to examine allegations of financing the recent unrest in the ready-made garment industry.

The instruction was given to banks and financial institutions on Thursday (5 November).

A senior NBR official confirmed the information. He said the initiative to identify and freeze the bank accounts of the people and institutions concerned was taken on the basis of information provided by several government agencies.

At the same time, bank transaction details of a large number of institutions have also been sought, the official said.

The official added that, in addition to the 204 people and institutions, the bank accounts of their family members may also come under the instruction, so the number of bank accounts to be frozen will be more than 204.

NBR sources said two intelligence units of the agency have written to banks and financial institutions requesting them to identify and freeze the bank accounts of the listed people and institutions.

Most of the people on the list are linked to the ousted Awami League government, according to NBR sources. They include former ministers, members of parliament and influential businesspeople.

Notable names on the list include Salman F Rahman, Abdus Salam Murshedy, Tipu Munshi, Shahriar Alam, Nasrul Hamid and Tajul Islam.

Among businesspeople, the names include Faizur Rahman of Tusuka Group, Abdus Salam of Well Group, Khosru Chowdhury of Nipa Group, Mosharraf Hossain of Standard Group and former BGMEA president S M Mannan Kochi, the former president of the garment owners' organisation.

The names of their family members are also included on the list, according to NBR sources.