'Laundering' Tk 3,000cr: Court issues travel ban on Premier Bank AMD, 3 officials

A Dhaka court today issued a travel ban on four officials of the Premier Bank PLC, including its Additional Managing Director Md Shahid Hassan Mallik, in connection with allegations of laundering about Tk 3,000 crore through sanctioning fake loans to 43 suspicious institutions which exported manufactured garments.

The other officials are: Mushfiqul Alam, second official of The Premier Bank PLC of Narayangani branch, Dipak Kumar Debnath, foreign exchange in charge and Mohammad Mahadi Hassan Sarker, credit in charge of the same branch.

Judge Mohammad Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after ACC's Deputy Director Md Mostafizur Rahman, also the inquiry officer of the money laundering allegations, submitted an application in this regard.

ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir confirmed it to The Daily Star.

In the petition, the IO said it was learnt from a reliable source that the officials were making attempts to launder the money and leave the country to avoid arrest. So, a travel ban is needed, said the IO.

After the hearing, the judge directed the police authorities to send the order sheet to the Chief of the Special Branch (Immigration) to take further steps in this regard.

Earlier the ACC formed a three-member, including Md Mostafizur Rahman, to enquire into the allegations of laundering about Tk 3000 crore through sanctioning fake loans to the 43 suspicious institutions which exported manufactured garments.