Hasina’s allies have properties worth Tk 6,000cr in UK

A joint investigation by British newspaper The Observer and Berlin-based anti-corruption organisation Transparency International has revealed that close associates of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, including former ministers and business owners, hold properties worth over £400 million (approximately Tk 6,000 crore) in the UK.
Allegations suggest these assets were purchased with laundered money siphoned off Bangladesh, reports the Guardian.
The findings, published in a report by The Guardian on Saturday, indicate ownership of nearly 350 properties ranging from luxury apartments to sprawling mansions. Many of these were reportedly acquired through offshore companies and shell entities linked to Sheikh Hasina’s close allies.
Among those implicated are Salman F. Rahman, former private sector adviser to Sheikh Hasina and vice-chairman of Beximco Group; Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, chairman of Bashundhara Group; Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, former land minister; and Nazrul Islam Mazumder, chairman of Nassa Group.
Salman F Rahman

Rahman, currently imprisoned in Bangladesh on money laundering charges, and his family are alleged to own several high-value properties in London’s prestigious Mayfair area. These include seven luxury apartments in Grosvenor Square, primarily acquired via offshore entities. In March 2022, Rahman’s son, Ahmed Shayan Rahman, reportedly purchased an apartment for £26.75 million and owns another flat valued at £35.5 million.
Legal representatives for the family have denied wrongdoing, asserting that all acquisitions complied with money-laundering laws.
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury

Former land minister Saifuzzaman and his family are said to own over 300 properties in the UK, valued at approximately £160 million. A previous report by Al Jazeera in September estimated the global value of his assets at $500 million. Bangladesh’s Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has frozen Chowdhury’s bank accounts, and a court has ordered the seizure of his immovable assets within the country. He is also under investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and is barred from leaving Bangladesh.
Ahmed Akbar Sobhan
The chairman of Bashundhara Group, Sobhan, and his family reportedly own two properties worth £13 million in Surrey, purchased through offshore companies. During the investigation, a mansion linked to Sobhan’s son was identified in the area. The family strongly denies the allegations, with Bashundhara’s vice-chairman, Safwan Sobhan, claiming the accusations are baseless.
Nazrul Islam Mazumder
Nazrul, chairman of Nassa Group, is also under investigation for money laundering. He and his family allegedly own five properties worth £38 million in London’s Kensington area.
Government Actions and Legal Responses
The Bangladesh government has taken strict measures against those implicated. Authorities have frozen bank accounts, seized properties, and issued travel bans against several individuals, including Sobhan and his family.
In response to the allegations, legal representatives of the accused parties have consistently denied any misuse of funds or unlawful acquisitions. They argue that the purchases adhere to UK and Bangladesh laws governing property and finance.
The findings of this investigation have intensified scrutiny over the financial dealings of Bangladesh’s political and business elites, raising broader questions about corruption and accountability in the country.