Amassing Tk 600cr per year through extortion

Khandaker Enayet Ullah, former general secretary of the Dhaka Road Transport Owners Association, collected Tk 1.65 crore in daily extortion from buses plying various city routes.

According to estimations, Enayet Ullah used to collect around Tk 602 crore annually through extortion.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) uncovered the findings during a money laundering investigation and subsequently moved to freeze his and his family's movable assets and 50 bank accounts holding over Tk 120 crore.

Along with Enayet Ullah, these bank accounts were maintained and operated by his wife Nargis Samsad, his son Ridwanul Ashiq Niloy, and his daughter Chasmay Jahan Nishi.

Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain issued the order on May 27 following a submission by Md Saiduzzaman, deputy director of the ACC, in line with Section 14 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2012, and the ACC Rules, 2007.

The court order mentioned that Enayet Ullah and his family are under investigation for amassing wealth through illegal means, primarily via daily extortion from public buses.

If the listed assets are not frozen immediately, the money could be transferred or hidden, obstructing any future confiscation by the state.

Many of the accounts are savings and fixed deposit receipts (FDRs), some with balances exceeding several crores of taka individually, according to the ACC findings submitted to the court, a copy of which this newspaper obtained.

The court has directed the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the managing directors and heads of relevant bank branches, and other concerned authorities to ensure that no funds can be withdrawn under any circumstances.

The ACC also named several organisations suspected to be operated under the accused individuals' names -- including ENA Transport (Pvt) Ltd, ENA Enterprise, and ENA Motors -- and requested that their bank accounts be frozen as well, if found.

Earlier on May 4 this year, a Dhaka court ordered the seizure of 190 vehicles owned by Enayet Ullah.

The Daily Star could not get in touch with Enayet Ullah, who is believed to be in Singapore with family members since the fall of the Awami League government on August 5 last year, following a mass uprising.

Enayet Ullah has long been accused of running a syndicate that collects illegal tolls from buses across various city routes. The ACC opened the probe after gathering intelligence reports and financial documents suggesting large-scale money laundering linked to daily extortion practices, according to an official involved with the investigation.

The investigation is ongoing.

More accounts and assets may come under scrutiny as the ACC continues to trace the flow of suspected illegal funds, the official added.

According to ACC sources, an investigation was launched in mid-2020 against Enayet Ullah and his family members over allegations of amassing illegal wealth and laundering money through irregularities, corruption, and extortion.

However, for unknown reasons, he managed to evade consequences at the time.

Despite this, the ACC's inquiry initially found evidence suggesting he had acquired assets through illegal means. As a result, on June 14, 2021, the commission issued a notice asking him to submit a wealth statement.

Enayet Ullah submitted his statement in October that year, declaring assets worth Tk 216.84 crore. He listed ENA Transport (Pvt) Ltd, Solar Enterprise, ENA Shipping, and ENA Food and Beverage Company as the sources of his wealth, sources added.