FROM PAGE 12

In the application, the commission said that a seven-member investigation team has been formed to probe the allegations of money laundering against Chowdhury, individuals and organisations connected with him.

Information on the company’s shares was found from the Directorate of Joint Stock Companies and their firms. In this situation, it is necessary to pass an order for freezing the shares in question.

Attempts are being made to transfer their immovable properties, so an order is needed to prevent them from transferring the properties, the application said.

Therefore, it is necessary to attach the said immovable properties per Section 14 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012.

In March, the court ordered the ACC to freeze 39 bank accounts of Saifuzzaman in connection with corruption allegations against him.

Also yesterday, Judge Zakir ordered the freezing of 191 bank accounts of Muhammad Aziz Khan, chairman of Summit Group, and his family members in connection with corruption allegations following an ACC application.

Aziz Khan, also the brother of former Awami League lawmaker Faruk Khan, and his family members deposited Tk 41.74 crore in the accounts.

Information about savings, fixed deposit receipts and other accounts in their names was found during the investigation, the official said in the application.

There is a huge amount of money deposited in the accounts, the application said, adding that the amount is unusual and suspicious.

On October 7 last year, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit instructed banks to freeze the accounts of Aziz Khan, his brothers and other family members.

Aziz Khan’s wealth stood at $1.1 billion last year, according to Forbes.

Summit, however, dismissed reports of closure or freezing of company accounts.

“Summit’s power generation, LNG terminal operations and all other businesses, payments from their customers as well as bank accounts are functioning as usual,” Mohsena Hassan, Summit’s head of public relations, told The Daily Star.

However, the Khan family’s accounts have been frozen for about five months and remain frozen without any charge, the statement added.

Meanwhile, the court yesterday ordered the freezing of 42 BO (Beneficiary Owner) accounts of the former chairman of National Bank and Sikder Group founder late Zainul Haque Sikder and his family members in connection with corruption allegations after the ACC filed an application in this regard.

In addition, the court yesterday ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate five properties in the UK and two properties in the Isle of Man owned by former chairman of EXIM Bank Nazrul Islam Mazumder, also chairman of Nassa Group, and his family members in connection with corruption allegations.

ACC deputy director Md Rauful Islam filed a petition before the court yesterday seeking confiscation of the properties.

On March 6, the same court ordered the confiscation of six houses and eight flats, situated at Dhaka and Purbachal, owned by them in connection with a graft case. It also ordered the seizure of 56.6 crore shares of 55 companies.