Bank Accounts of at Least 20 Individuals and Organisations to Be Frozen Over Alleged Funding of Garment Workers’ Protests

Allegations have emerged that outside groups instigated and financed recent garment workers’ protests over wage increases in Dhaka, Gazipur and Narayanganj. Based on intelligence information, the government is moving to freeze the bank accounts of at least 20 individuals and organisations suspected of providing financial and manpower support to the protests. The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has already sent instructions to all banks in this regard.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the list includes owners of several leading industrial groups, former ministers, former members of parliament and political activists. Some are reportedly associated with the now-banned Awami League, while others are said to have benefited from the party’s time in government.

The bank accounts of some people on the list were frozen after August 5 in connection with cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other agencies. Some are in prison, while others are abroad, making it difficult to obtain their immediate responses to the allegations.

At an NBR event last Tuesday, the agency’s chairman, Ahsan Habib, hinted at the freezing of bank accounts belonging to certain individuals and organisations. He said the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) and the Income Tax Intelligence Department were freezing the accounts of 34 individuals and 34 families for a specific reason.

According to NBR sources, owners of 12 industrial groups are suspected of financing alleged acts of sabotage linked to the labour protests. Those named include Tipu Munshi, founder and managing director of Sipal Group and former commerce minister under the Awami League government. The bank accounts of Salman F Rahman, owner of Beximco Group and former adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on industry and private investment, are also reportedly being frozen over similar allegations.

Others on the list reportedly include Salam Murshedy, managing director of Envoy Group and former MP; Shahriar Alam, owner of Renessa Group and former state minister for foreign affairs; Nasrul Hamid Bipu, owner of Hamid Group and former state minister for power and energy; Tajul Islam, founder of Fabian Group and former local government minister; Faizur Rahman Badal, managing director of Tusuka Group; Abdus Salam, founder of Well Group; Khasru Chowdhury, managing director of Nipa Group; Zahid Ahmed Tulu, director of Axis Knitwears Limited; Standard Hossain; and Masuma Khatun Lipa, chairperson of Givency Group.

In addition, the bank accounts of former MP Ilias Uddin Mollah, former BGMEA president and Dhaka North Awami League general secretary SM Mannan Kochi, and Jahangir Alam, a former personal assistant to Sheikh Hasina, are reportedly being frozen over allegations of financing protests in the capital’s Mirpur area.

Sources said the authorities are also moving to freeze the accounts of several other people linked to the Awami League. They include Alif Mollah, a nephew of Ilias Uddin Mollah; Mahbubur Rahman Jewel, an associate of Jahangir Alam; local Awami League activist Kamal Gazi; and a person identified as Shuvo.

Sources further alleged that AFM Bahauddin Nasim, joint general secretary of the Awami League and a former MP, is coordinating online activities related to the protests. They claimed that around 150 people are responsible for sharing videos and photographs from different protest locations through 20 to 25 WhatsApp and Telegram groups and Facebook pages under his leadership. Nasim’s bank account is also reportedly among those being frozen.

Asked about the account freezes, a senior NBR official said banks had already been instructed by email to freeze the accounts of the individuals and organisations concerned, based on intelligence information.