Dhaka, Sep 25 (V7N) – British MP of Bangladeshi origin, Apsana Begum, has called on the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) to launch an investigation into former Bangladesh land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury over allegations of corruption and money laundering.

In a letter addressed to NCA Director General Graeme Biggar, Apsana mentioned that Saifuzzaman is already under investigation by Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for alleged embezzlement. She accused him of laundering millions of dollars into the UK and requested a probe into his UK-based properties.

The letter follows an Al Jazeera report, which exposed how the former minister amassed a vast property empire, now facing corruption investigations. Apsana shared details of the letter in a Facebook post, where she emphasized that 74 properties linked to Saifuzzaman are located in her constituency of Poplar & Limehouse, and urged the NCA to freeze and investigate these assets.

In her correspondence, Apsana cited the Al Jazeera report titled "The Minister's Millions," which outlined Saifuzzaman's significant overseas wealth. She argued that the assets belong to Bangladesh and should be returned to support the country's people in their pursuit of democracy.

Referring to a report from the Financial Times, Apsana noted that entities linked to Saifuzzaman have acquired at least 280 UK properties valued at over £150 million. She urged the NCA to clarify what steps have been taken to investigate and freeze all UK-based assets owned by Saifuzzaman and others involved in the corruption investigations.

Apsana stressed the importance of freezing and repatriating the funds, noting that this is vital for both justice in Bangladesh and the UK's international reputation.

The Al Jazeera report, published on September 18, detailed Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s acquisition of hundreds of luxury properties, luxury cars, crocodile shoes, and high-end fashion, including Italian suits. It also revealed that his property purchases accelerated in 2017, after setting up UK companies, and further increased in 2019 when he became a minister.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg News reported that Saifuzzaman had built a UK real estate empire comprising over 350 properties, worth more than Tk2,000 crore. The Bloomberg report also pointed to his financial investments in Manhattan, USA, adding to the scrutiny of his wealth.

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