Court freezes bank accounts of ex-DB chief Harun’s father-in-law and brother

A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of a 10-storey building owned by Mohammad Solaiman, father-in-law of Harun-or-Rashid, the former head of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), and frozen five bank accounts linked to Solaiman.

It has also frozen two bank accounts belonging to Harun’s brother.

The orders were issued on Thursday by Judge Zakir Hossain Galib of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judges’ Court, following separate petitions filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

According to ACC spokesperson Akhtarul Islam, the applications were submitted by Deputy Director Zainal Abedin.

Earlier, on Feb 19, the same court ordered the seizure of 29.16 hectares of land registered under the names of Harun and his brother ABM Shahriar. On the same day, 21 of their bank accounts, as well as shares in three companies were frozen.

On Aug 27, the court imposed a travel ban on Harun and his wife Shirin Akhter.

Later, on Jan 8, the court issued an order to seize the income tax records of both Harun and his brother Shahriar.

Harun, once a powerful figure under the ousted Awami League government, faces allegations of amassing vast wealth through abuse of power.

He is accused of owning around 24 houses and more than 50 flats and plots across the capital, both in his own name and under proxies.

The ACC has also received reports of Harun’s assets abroad, including in the United States, Dubai, and Jeddah.

Harun served as chief of the Detective Branch from July 2022 until July 31, 2023, when he was reassigned as additional commissioner (Crime and Operations) of the DMP, four days before the fall of the previous government.

Since the shift in power, his whereabouts remain unknown.