The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has asked banks and financial institutions to freeze the accounts of around 100 individuals suspected of financing activities aimed at creating instability in Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector.
The revenue authority has also sought detailed banking transaction records of around 125 companies as part of an investigation into whether funds from the individuals and businesses were used to finance unrest in the country’s largest export-oriented industry.
According to NBR sources, two intelligence units of the tax authority have sent letters to banks and financial institutions requesting the identification and freezing of the accounts of the individuals named in their lists. Separate requests have been made for detailed transaction records of the 125 companies.
Most of the individuals reportedly named in the lists have links to the former Awami League government. They include former ministers, members of parliament and influential businesspeople.
Those named include Salman F Rahman, former prime minister’s private industry and investment adviser; former ministers Nasrul Hamid, Tipu Munshi, Shahriar Alam and Tajul Islam; and former lawmaker and businessman Abdus Salam Murshedy.
Several prominent businesspeople have also been included, among them Faizur Rahman of Tusuka Group, Abdus Salam of Well Group, Khasru Chowdhury of Nipa Group, Mosharraf Hossain of Standard Group and SM Mannan Kochi, a former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
Family members of some of the individuals are also reportedly on the lists.
NBR sources said Alif Molla, the brother-in-law of cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, was among those whose bank accounts had been identified for freezing.
Investigators are also examining financial transactions through mobile financial services and cryptocurrency, according to the sources.
An NBR senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the initiative had been taken based on information provided by several government agencies.
The official said the investigation was intended to establish whether the individuals and companies had channelled money towards activities that contributed to instability in the garment industry.
Some of the individuals named are currently in custody, while others are reportedly absconding. However, the investigation into the allegations remains ongoing, and the NBR has yet to reach any final conclusions.
Officials indicated that the lists could be expanded as the investigation progresses. They could not specify when the inquiry would be completed.
Separately, banking sources said commercial banks were preparing to act on the instructions received through Bangladesh Bank.
The investigation comes at a time when the RMG industry remains a critical pillar of Bangladesh’s export earnings, employment and foreign exchange generation. Any prolonged disruption to production and supply chains could affect export shipments, factory operations and the country’s competitiveness in international apparel markets.