Banks to freeze accounts of Orion chair, five others

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has instructed banks to freeze accounts owned by Orion Group Chairman Obaidul Karim and its Managing Director Salman Obaidul Karim.

Additionally, the bank accounts of Arzuda Karim and Zareen Karim, directors of Orion Group, as well as Mehadi Hasan and Rezaul Karim, relatives of the chairman with ties to the conglomerate, will be frozen.

The anti-money laundering agency recently sent a letter to the banks in this regard, directing lenders to keep those accounts frozen for the next 30 days. The BFIU also instructed banks to block them from locker and credit card facilities for 30 days.

The banks then asked the BFIU to provide updated information on the six individuals to find out if they are using any bank accounts under other names.

Orion Group, founded by Obaidul Karim, is one of the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh, with business interests in the pharmaceutical, chemical, infrastructure development, agribusiness, hospitality, textile and aviation sectors alongside many others.