STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has found evidence of money laundering of Tk 13 crore against Nurul Islam, a former contractual computer operator who used to work at Teknaf land port.

Investigators said Nurul, who used to get a daily wage of Tk 130, became the owner of crores after getting involved with illegal narcotics trade and currency-counterfeiting.

CID filed a case under the money laundering act with Adabar Police Station last Friday against Nurul and his wife Razia Islam.

Md Moniruzzaman, an inspector of CID’s financial crime unit, confirmed the development to The Daily Star yesterday.

“Nurul and his wife tried to legalise their illegal earnings by submitting tax returns against three companies that only exist on paper,” he said.

Moniruzzaman said they are now conducting a drive to arrest Nurul and his wife Razia, who are currently on the run.

Sources said Nurul took the job at the land port in 2001 and left it in 2009.

After resigning, he allegedly formed a racket of brokers, got involved in narcotics smuggling, and amassed crores over a decade. His criminal activities first came to the fore after Nurul was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on September 14, 2021.

According to the first information report (FIR) of the case against him, the income tax return submitted on June 30, 2009 showed that Nurul’s net wealth was Tk 8.50 lakh.