Saturday, 22 February, 2025
A Dhaka court has issued an order to seize a flat in Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa and freeze investments in six UK-based companies linked to the family members of Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan.
The ruling was delivered by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib on Tuesday, following a request made by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
ACC Assistant Director Aminul Islam confirmed that the application was filed by Deputy Director Nazmul Hossain, and the court granted approval after reviewing the case.
According to the order, investments linked to Sobhan’s family in the UK include €5,000 in Slovakian firm Calcatronic Holding under the name of his son Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir.
Another €5,000 is in Slovakian firm GAGAGUGU, while £1,000 worth of shares are in Worldera Corporation Limited. Anvir also holds £5,000 worth of shares in ASWA Holdings Limited.
His wife, Sabrina Sobhan, has £5,000 worth of shares in EuroAsia Television Network Limited, while his brother, Bashundhara Director Safwan Sobhan Tasvir, has investments in Global Multi Trade Limited. In addition, the court ordered the seizure of a flat under Anvir’s name on the 11th floor of Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The court also ordered the seizure of Anvir’s flat on the 11th floor of Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, often regarded as a powerful businessman, has expanded his empire over the years, with his family members actively involved in its operations. His wife, Afroza Begum, and their children—Anvir Sobhan, Sadat Sobhan, Safiat Sobhan, and Safwan Sobhan—along with their spouses, have been associated with various business ventures within the group.
The ACC’s application reveals that an investigation is underway into allegations of illegal wealth accumulation and money laundering involving Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family.
The family is accused of loan fraud, embezzlement, acquiring illegal assets, transferring funds abroad, and laundering money. Documents suggest that the primary suspect, Sobhan, along with his wife Afroza Begum, their sons Anvir and Sadat Sobhan, Sadat’s wife Sonia Ferdous Sobhan, and their sons Safiat Sobhan and Safwan Sobhan—along with Safwan’s wife Yasha Sobhan—are all implicated in these activities.
“They have amassed large sums of money through illicit means and laundered these funds overseas to acquire properties,” the application states.
The ACC claims that Siobhan’s family members took out significant loans from various banks under company names, with parts of the funds illicitly transferred abroad and invested in businesses in Slovakia, Dubai, and the UK.
The court filing highlights that, as Bangladeshi citizens, they were required to obtain prior approval from Bangladesh Bank before transferring capital overseas. However, no such approval was sought.
Moreover, the filing asserts that they were legally obligated to declare all income and assets in their tax returns, yet they failed to disclose the funds invested in foreign companies and properties. This omission points to the conclusion that these investments were made using illicitly obtained funds.
The Bashundhara Group, one of Bangladesh’s largest conglomerates, is owned and controlled by the Sobhan family, led by Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan. The group has a diverse portfolio, including interests in real estate, cement, media, and consumer goods, with significant influence across multiple sectors in the country.
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, often regarded as a powerful businessman, has expanded his empire over the years, with his family members actively involved in its operations. His wife, Afroza Begum, and their children—Anvir Sobhan, Sadat Sobhan, Safiat Sobhan, and Safwan Sobhan—along with their spouses, have been associated with various business ventures within the group.
The family’s wealth and influence have made them both admired and controversial, with accusations of corruption and illicit wealth accumulation. Allegations of money laundering, loan fraud, and embezzlement have surfaced against the Sobhan family, particularly regarding the transfer of funds abroad to invest in properties and companies in Dubai, the UK, and Slovakia.
These allegations have attracted significant scrutiny from Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is investigating their financial dealings and seeking to recover illicit assets linked to the family’s fortune. The family's activities continue to generate public debate regarding corporate governance and accountability in Bangladesh.
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A Dhaka court has issued an order to seize a flat in Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa and freeze investments in six UK-based companies linked to the family members of Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan.
The ruling was delivered by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib on Tuesday, following a request made by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
ACC Assistant Director Aminul Islam confirmed that the application was filed by Deputy Director Nazmul Hossain, and the court granted approval after reviewing the case.
According to the order, investments linked to Sobhan’s family in the UK include €5,000 in Slovakian firm Calcatronic Holding under the name of his son Bashundhara Group Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir.
Another €5,000 is in Slovakian firm GAGAGUGU, while £1,000 worth of shares are in Worldera Corporation Limited. Anvir also holds £5,000 worth of shares in ASWA Holdings Limited.
His wife, Sabrina Sobhan, has £5,000 worth of shares in EuroAsia Television Network Limited, while his brother, Bashundhara Director Safwan Sobhan Tasvir, has investments in Global Multi Trade Limited. In addition, the court ordered the seizure of a flat under Anvir’s name on the 11th floor of Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The court also ordered the seizure of Anvir’s flat on the 11th floor of Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, often regarded as a powerful businessman, has expanded his empire over the years, with his family members actively involved in its operations. His wife, Afroza Begum, and their children—Anvir Sobhan, Sadat Sobhan, Safiat Sobhan, and Safwan Sobhan—along with their spouses, have been associated with various business ventures within the group.
The ACC’s application reveals that an investigation is underway into allegations of illegal wealth accumulation and money laundering involving Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and his family.
The family is accused of loan fraud, embezzlement, acquiring illegal assets, transferring funds abroad, and laundering money. Documents suggest that the primary suspect, Sobhan, along with his wife Afroza Begum, their sons Anvir and Sadat Sobhan, Sadat’s wife Sonia Ferdous Sobhan, and their sons Safiat Sobhan and Safwan Sobhan—along with Safwan’s wife Yasha Sobhan—are all implicated in these activities.
“They have amassed large sums of money through illicit means and laundered these funds overseas to acquire properties,” the application states.
The ACC claims that Siobhan’s family members took out significant loans from various banks under company names, with parts of the funds illicitly transferred abroad and invested in businesses in Slovakia, Dubai, and the UK.
The court filing highlights that, as Bangladeshi citizens, they were required to obtain prior approval from Bangladesh Bank before transferring capital overseas. However, no such approval was sought.
Moreover, the filing asserts that they were legally obligated to declare all income and assets in their tax returns, yet they failed to disclose the funds invested in foreign companies and properties. This omission points to the conclusion that these investments were made using illicitly obtained funds.
The Bashundhara Group, one of Bangladesh’s largest conglomerates, is owned and controlled by the Sobhan family, led by Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan. The group has a diverse portfolio, including interests in real estate, cement, media, and consumer goods, with significant influence across multiple sectors in the country.
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, often regarded as a powerful businessman, has expanded his empire over the years, with his family members actively involved in its operations. His wife, Afroza Begum, and their children—Anvir Sobhan, Sadat Sobhan, Safiat Sobhan, and Safwan Sobhan—along with their spouses, have been associated with various business ventures within the group.
The family’s wealth and influence have made them both admired and controversial, with accusations of corruption and illicit wealth accumulation. Allegations of money laundering, loan fraud, and embezzlement have surfaced against the Sobhan family, particularly regarding the transfer of funds abroad to invest in properties and companies in Dubai, the UK, and Slovakia.
These allegations have attracted significant scrutiny from Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which is investigating their financial dealings and seeking to recover illicit assets linked to the family’s fortune. The family's activities continue to generate public debate regarding corporate governance and accountability in Bangladesh.
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