Travel ban on ex-secy Abu Alam, ex-DGFI chief's assets frozen

A Dhaka court on Tuesday imposed a travel ban on former secretary Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan and ordered the freezing of bank accounts and seizure of property belonging to former Director General of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Lt Gen Saiful Alam, in separate cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Foyez passed both orders on February 3 following applications submitted by the ACC as part of ongoing corruption and money laundering investigations.

In Shahid Khan's case, the court imposed a temporary restriction on his foreign travel after the ACC expressed concern that he might attempt to leave the country.  In a separate order, the same court directed the freezing of Tk 7.76 million in a bank account of former DGFI chief Lieutenant General Saiful Alam and the seizure of land registered in the names of his wife and daughters.

According to the ACC application filed by Deputy Director Tahasin Munabil Haque, Tk 7,756,569 held in Saiful Alam's account at Trust Bank PLC has been frozen. The court also ordered the seizure of five kathas of land at the Trust City project, valued at Tk 27.67 million, registered in the names of his wife Lubna Afroza and daughters Sarah Zumana and Jarifa Binte Alam. The ACC informed the court that an investigation team has been formed to verify Saiful Alam's wealth statement submitted to the commission.