Leaked audio unveils additional corruption scandal of Matiur Rahman

Particular Be aware: Corrupt official of the Nationwide Board of Income (NBR) in Bangladesh has smuggled-out thousands and thousands of {dollars} to the USA, Canada, Dubai, Malaysia and few extra nations on the planet. Such actions fall beneath Kleptocracy, whereas the US Division of Justice can impose sanctions on Matiur Rahman, his two wives, two sons and daughter and confiscate their properties. For the sake of punishing such culprits, Washington should take stern measure instantly. Matiur Rahman and members of his household should come beneath sanctions.

In a surprising flip of occasions, leaked audio recordings of a cell phone dialog between Matiur Rahman, a just lately ex-member of the Nationwide Board of Income (NBR), and his subordinate officer Arjina Khatun have stirred important uproar. The dialog, reportedly crammed with inappropriate and obscene remarks, has drawn consideration not just for its content material but additionally for the underlying corruption and accumulation of illicit wealth by each events.

Arjina Khatun, the Second Secretary for Monitoring, Statistics, and Coordination of the Board of Income, has come beneath intense scrutiny for her sudden and large accumulation of wealth. Allegations recommend that she exploited her shut relationship with Matiur Rahman to achieve quite a few immoral advantages, amassing an enormous fortune via unlawful means. This contains elite flats in Dhaka, luxurious homes in her village, and an astonishing assortment of 500 bhori of gold jewellery (every bhori equal to 11.664 grams).

The Ministry of Finance has but to take any motion towards Matiur Rahman, who has gone into hiding with out becoming a member of his new office. Nonetheless, following an utility from the Anti-Corruption Fee (ACC), the courtroom has ordered the seizure of considerable property belonging to Matiur Rahman and his household. Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Particular Decide Mohammad Assamach Jaglul Hossain issued the order, freezing 10.19 acres of land and 4 flats owned by the Matiur household.

Arjina Khatun’s wealth, allegedly accrued via corrupt practices, has been a topic of serious concern. She reportedly owns luxurious flats with opulent interiors within the capital, upscale homes within the villages, and lands registered beneath her members of the family’ names. Her acquisition of 500 items of gold jewellery, of which 200 had been reportedly smuggled from overseas, highlights the extent of her unlawful actions.

The ACC obtained a grievance on June 10, detailing the corruption and unlawful property of Arjina Khatun. The grievance revealed that Arjina had acquired substantial wealth via fraudulent importation, cash laundering, and her involvement with a gold smuggling ring. Her shut relationship with Matiur Rahman additional facilitated her corrupt actions.

Based on the grievance, Arjina owns a luxurious flat in Mirpur, Dhaka, spanning roughly 2,000 sq. toes. She lives there along with her household, with the flat valued at BDT 13.00 million, although the registration doc reveals a considerably lower cost of BDT 6.80 million. An investigation revealed that Arjina purchased the flat a 12 months earlier than taking a mortgage in 2020, finishing the registration at double the mortgage quantity. She additionally spent round BDT 5.00 million on luxurious furnishings and fashionable interiors for the flat.

In her village house in Talutpara, Naroa Union, Rajbari, Arjina reworked a modest tin home into a chic constructing inside three years of working in customs. The grievance additionally disclosed that after her switch to Chittagong in 2022, she purchased 5 lands in her members of the family’ names, with a market worth of BDT 500,000. She additionally took one other land mortgage price about BDT 10 million within the village. Moreover, she possesses diamond jewellery price not less than BDT 100,000 and acquired 500 bhori of gold and diamond jewellery between 2018 and 2023.

When questioned about these allegations, Arjina Khatun claimed to be a sufferer of a vendetta by her ex-husband, who filed a case towards her out of anger. She insisted {that a} group was plotting towards her resulting from a household dispute.

In the meantime, ACC lawyer Mahmud Hossain Jahangir confirmed that the courtroom had ordered the confiscation of Matiur Rahman’s in depth property. These property embody 114 % land in Muladi Upazila, Barisal, 5.02 acres land in Marjal Union, Raipura Upazila, Narsingdi, and a 2,445 sq. toes flat in Bashundhara, Dhaka. Different property embody 2.75 acres land in 19 paperwork beneath Ahmed Taufiqur Rahman Arnab, Matiur’s son, 1.06 acres land in 5 deeds beneath Farzana Rahman Ipsita, Matiur’s daughter, and a multi-storied constructing on 5 kata land in D Block, Bashundhara.

On June 24, Dhaka’s senior particular choose Mohammad Assamach Jaglul Hossain issued a journey ban on Matiur Rahman, his spouse Laila Kaniz, and their son Ahmed Taufiqur Rahman Arnab following an utility from the ACC. Nonetheless, on June 30, Laila Kaniz requested the courtroom to carry the journey ban, with the listening to scheduled for July 28. It’s reported that Matiur’s second spouse, Shammi Akhtar Shibly, and Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat fled the nation way back.

The scandal involving Matiur Rahman delivered to mild varied scandals and the in depth unlawful wealth amassed by his household. Following this, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared a “battle towards corruption” in her Nationwide Meeting speech on June 29. This announcement triggered an anti-corruption marketing campaign, with related departments and the media actively exposing the illegally acquired wealth of presidency officers and workers.

The unfolding scandal involving Arjina Khatun and Matiur Rahman highlights the deep-rooted corruption in Bangladesh’s income board. The ACC’s ongoing investigations and authorized actions towards illicit wealth accumulation show an important step in the direction of combating corruption. Nonetheless, the extent of wealth amassed via unlawful means underscores the necessity for stringent measures and vigilant oversight to forestall such malpractices sooner or later. The federal government’s dedication to preventing corruption and the media’s position in exposing these wrongdoings can be instrumental in restoring public belief and making certain a extra clear and accountable system.