The hidden treasures of Harun Or Rashid, former Detective Branch (DB) chief and Additional Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) are still largely unknown. Investigations revealed that he owns 18 properties (land and buildings) in the capital's Uttara alone, according to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). These properties are rented out to various foreign and domestic companies, hotels and markets. Additionally, he has around a dozen more properties in Gazipur, Savar, Teknaf and Khagrachhari.
ACC has started investigating the assets of Harun, family, his siblings, close relatives and associates.
House No 14 on Road 9, Sector 3, Uttara, named Ha-meem, was linked to Harun. The on-duty security guard said the building's owner is a businessman named Golam Hasnain Hiron.
ACC sources told The daily Observer that Harun sold this house to a person named Hiron for Tk 10 crore after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5.
ACC claimed Harun Or Rashid was planning to sell the immovable assets and transfer bank deposits to disrupt ongoing investigation with the help of close associates. According to police and ACC sources, these properties were 'seized forcibly from various businessmen under duress' and acquired anonymously by Harun.
Harun used to move freely in this house before August 5 and slueths have received information about holding secret meetings with Golam Hasnain Hiron, intelligences sources said.
A travel agency and hotel named GR MEET and GREET, respectively, located in a building called Prime Lake View on Road 20, have been rented. This building was tied to Harun as well but according to the person at the reception desk, it is owned by a man named Gholam Hasnain Hiron.
Hiron's office is on Road No. 4 of Mohakhali DOHS. Former DB chief Harun used to visit this office regularly. Investigations have revealed that DB Harun used to travel in a regular car to the office of Hiron at Mohakhali DOHS on Road No. 4 without following protocol.
Officials involved in the investigation said Harun Or Rashid has hundreds of crores of taka invested in the land buying and selling business with Golam Hasnain Hiron owner of Ahad Builders Ltd. People close to Harun Or Rashid were now under intelligences' surveillances, according to sources.
A Dhaka court on April 24 ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate one flat and three plots of former Detective Branch (DB) chief Harun-Or-Rashid.
Dhaka Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Deputy Director of ACC Mohammad Joynal Abedin filed the petition seeking order to confiscate the property of Harun.
According to the petition, an investigation is underway against former DB chief Harun for amassing assets worth hundreds of crores of taka both in the country and abroad through abuse of power and corruption. During the investigation, it was found that he is attempting to sell or transfer these assets.
Earlier, on February 19, the court ordered the seizure of 100 bighas of land, five buildings and two apartments owned by Harun.
At the same time, the court also ordered the authorities concerned to freeze Tk 1.26 crore in ten bank accounts under his name. Besides, the court also ordered the seizure of 30 bighas of land belonging to his brother ABM Shahriar, as well as the freezing of 11 bank accounts and shares in three companies.
As the ACC dug deeper, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) suspended the bank accounts of Harun and his wife Shirin Akhter.
Harun used to reside with his family on the top floor of an eight-storey building on Road 20, Sector 3, Uttara. Harun's brother, ABM Shahriar, owns the President Resort in Hossainpur village, Mithamain, Kishoreganj.
Despite being registered under Shahriar's name, the resort is alleged to be Harun's. The environmental clearance for the resort expired on November 2, 2023 and has not been renewed.
In Uttara's Sector 3, Harun owns a 10-storey market on a 10-katha plot on Road 7. The ground floor houses a children's clothing store called Baby Shop, while floors two through ten remain vacant.
Additionally, a 7.50-katha commercial plot on Road 9, Sector 3, and a 14-storey under-construction commercial building on 7.34-katha of land on Road 15 were also linked to the former DB chief. He also owns a five-katha plot, situated next to Uttara Smrity Cable TV Ltd in Sector 11. It is leased to a company named Star Car Selection. His other Uttara properties are - two 10-katha plots on Road 6, Sector 5; a 5-katha plot on Road 11, Sector 10; the 5th floor of House 4 on Road 12, used as an office by his so-called uncle Jahangir; and a six-storey house (No 21) on Sonargaon Janpath.
