2024-08-29 01:30:35
The bank account of Akiz Uddin, protocol officer (PS) of S Alam Group Chairman, has been seized. At the same time, it has been ordered to freeze the accounts in the name of his wife and children and the bank accounts of the business establishments owned by them.
On Wednesday (August 28), Bangladesh Bank’s financial intelligence unit Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) sent instructions to the country’s banks and financial institutions to freeze the accounts. A senior official of BFIU confirmed this information.
All transactions through the personal accounts of those whose accounts have been frozen will be suspended. They will not be able to do any kind of transaction for the next 30 days. If necessary, the period of suspending the transaction will be extended.
BFIU’s letter said that relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Rules will apply to this order to suspend transactions. In the letter, the names of Akiz Uddin and his family members, national identity card information is given.
The BFIU directive further states that banks and financial institutions have been asked to send account related information or documents such as account opening form, KYC and transaction statement etc. to them within five working days from the date of issue of the letter in case of suspension of an account.
Who is Akiz Uddin?
After passing his degree in 2009, Akiz Uddin started his career as Assistant Officer (Cash) in First Security Islami Bank owned by S Alam Group. In the meantime, S Alam became the Group Chairman’s Protocol Officer (PS). He won the heart of S Alamer S Alam so much that within 14 years he got an unusual promotion to become the Deputy Managing Director (DMD) of one of the best established banks in the country like Islami Bank.
It has been alleged that on August 6, DMD Akiz Uddin tried to withdraw money from Islami Bank through a ‘benami loan’ of Tk 889 crore. However, the withdrawal of Tk 889 crore was blocked due to the actions of the bank officials. Two companies named ‘Golden Star’ and ‘Top Ten Trading House’ owned by Akiz Uddin were trying to withdraw these money.
Several officials of Islami Bank said that this Akiz Uddin used to open companies in the name of Anonymous and launder thousands of crores of rupees from the bank. He used to help S Alam in smuggling crores of rupees through import and export. By creating benami loans, with that money, he also helped buy shares in the name of S Alam’s benami organization from foreign companies of Islami Bank. And this is how he stole billions of rupees.
After the fall of the government on August 5 in the popular uprising of the students, the angry bankers threw out the officers appointed by S. Alam from the bank on August 6. Then on August 7 and 8, bankers were seen protesting. They demanded cancellation of appointments of executives who were illegally appointed, including executives appointed after the takeover of Islami Bank in 2017. DMD said in such a situation. Islami Bank dismissed Akiz Uddin.