The bank accounts of Awami League General Secretary and former Minister of Road Transport and Bridges, Obaidul Quader, have been suspended. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) of the central bank issued the suspension orders today, Tuesday, and sent directives to various banks and financial institutions across the country.
Obaidul Quader has been serving as the General Secretary of the Awami League since October 2016. Until the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, he was the Minister of Road Transport and Bridges. Quader, a former president of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, has also served as the Member of Parliament for Noakhali-5 constituency. According to the BFIU letter, if any accounts are held by the mentioned individual or his privately owned entities, transactions from these accounts must be suspended for 30 days under the Money Laundering Prevention Act. Additionally, any lockers in his name are to be sealed for 30 days.
The suspension letter also includes the names of Obaidul Quader’s parents, along with his national ID number and date of birth. Banks have been instructed to send all relevant account information and documents, such as account opening forms, KYC (Know Your Customer) details, and transaction records, to the BFIU.
Following the departure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from the country on August 5 amid a student-led movement, Obaidul Quader has not been seen in public. During the quota reform movement on July 15, Quader had issued a warning that the Chhatra League was “ready to respond,” leading to subsequent clashes between the Chhatra League and protesting students.
Amidst the ongoing student protests, Nobel laureate economist and current Chief Advisor of the interim government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, issued a statement urging the international community to stand with the students. Obaidul Quader responded by labeling Yunus’s statement as tantamount to sedition. Since the political change, several former ministers of the previous government have been arrested, and bank accounts of many ministers, MPs, and Awami League-affiliated businessmen have been frozen. Additionally, numerous legal cases have been filed against various political leaders, including Obaidul Quader, in multiple locations across the country.