British MP Apsana Begum requests freezing Saifuzzaman’s assets

Apsana Begum, a member of parliament (MP) in the United Kingdom, has written to Graeme Biggar, the director general of the national crime agency (NCA), asking about actions over assets in the UK tied to corruption and economic crimes by former members of the Bangladeshi government.

In her letter, Apsana Begum, who has origins in Bangladesh, noted the opening of an investigation into allegations of widespread corruption into Sheikh Hasina’s government who fled Bangladesh after hundreds were killed, as security forces cracked down on student protests.

She particularly mentioned that Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, a former land minister who is already under scrutiny regarding tax filings, is being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Bangladesh regarding allegations related to embezzlement and laundering millions of dollars into the UK.

A Financial Times review of HM Land Registry and UK Companies House records found that the entities controlled by Chowdhury acquired at least 280 properties for more than £150mn. “An investigation by Al-Jazeera has shown that he owns 74 properties in my constituency, Poplar and Limehouse.”

Apsana Begum noted, “The assets in question belong to Bangladesh and I believe they must be returned to support the people of Bangladesh as they strive for democracy and a society that is run in their interests.”

It has been widely documented that corruption has had a damaging impact on living standards, workplace rights and democratic freedoms in Bangladesh for some time.

“Given that the ACC in Bangladesh is seeking international cooperation to recover any misappropriated funds, I would be most grateful if you can clarify what steps have been taken to investigate and freeze all UK-based assets owned by Chowdhury and others subject to these corruption investigations,” she said.

Apsana Begum also noted that freezing and repatriating relevant funds is not only critical for justice and the future of people’s rights in Bangladesh but essential in relation to the UK’s reputation and international record.

Qatar-based international media Al Jazeera recently aired an investigative report on Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, titled — The Minister’s Millions.

According to the report, he owns as many as 360 houses in the UK alone. Most of these houses were purchased from renowned builder group The Berkeley Group. The market price of these houses stands at USD 320 million in total. Apart from that, the former minister also has properties in the USA and Dubai.

The report claimed the former land minister purchased at least 54 properties within 2020 in Dubai. He owns nine lavish apartments in the US, with five being located in prime locations of New York, including Manhattan and four of these houses in New Jersey.

However, Saifuzzaman hid the information of having such huge assets abroad in his election affidavit and tax files.