Banks, NBFIs asked to freeze accounts of Matiur, family members

Two financial sector regulators today asked banks and financial institutions to freeze all accounts of revenue official Matiur Rahman and his family members.

These include mobile financial service (MFS) accounts and beneficiary owner (BO) accounts used for investing in the share market.

"We have issued letters to all banks and non-bank financial institutions to freeze the accounts of Matiur Rahman, his two wives and five children," said a top official of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) seeking anonymity.

The accounts should remain frozen for 30 days, the BFIU also ordered.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) also blocked the BO accounts of Matiur and his family members, said Rezaul Karim, spokesperson of the stock market regulator.

The banks, non-bank financial institutions and MFS providers have also been asked to send the details of transactions, account opening data along with KYC of all accounts of Matiur and family members to the BFIU in the next five working days.  

The development comes after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) launched an inquiry into the allegations of amassing illegal wealth and money laundering by Matiur.

The ACC urged the BFIU and BSEC to freeze all financial transaction related accounts of the family.

Over the last two days, the finance ministry removed Matiur from the position of a director of state-run Sonali Bank PLC.

It also transferred him to the Internal Resources Division from his position as president of customs, excise and VAT appellate tribunal at the National Board of Revenue.

Matiur came into the spotlight after controversy over his wealth and source of income.

The controversy surfaced after Matiur's son Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat posted a photo of a sacrificial goat ahead of Eid-ul Azha on social media and claimed to have bought it for Tk 12 lakh.

This raised questions about the income of this official with a basic monthly salary of Tk 78,000.