Dhaka: Finally, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has got hold of the biggest hundi activity in the country. After conducting an investigation, the agency's Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) has received information that thousands of crores of taka were being smuggled abroad from the country through hundi under the guise of perfume business.
According to the news published in the newspaper, the name of the company accused in the hundi business is Al Haramain Perfumes. The owner of the company is Sylhet businessman Mohammad Mahtabur Rahman Nasir. The businessman, a US citizen, is now living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) under a golden visa.
According to the news published by the NBR's Central Intelligence Cell, Mahtabur Rahman Nasir's business network is currently spread across 86 countries of the world. Apart from Bangladesh, Al Haramain Perfumes has showrooms in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United States and the United Kingdom. His visible business in other countries is mainly import-export. However, the investigation found that Mahtabur Rahman Nasir's entire business network is involved in hundi activities. His main business is mainly to launder money from one country to another under the guise of perfume or import-export business.
A team of CIC recently went to the UAE to investigate the wealth and money laundering information of this businessman. They collected information on the wealth and money laundering of Mahtabur Rahman in different countries of the world. In addition, a letter has been sent to the government of the concerned country asking for information on the other countries where he has assets. The CIC has also investigated the wealth of Mahtabur Rahman in the country. As part of this process, a two-phase search was conducted at Mahtabur Rahman's house in Sylhet. According to CIC sources, 104 property documents and other documents were seized from that house.
Earlier, on January 22, the CIC froze (blocked) the bank accounts of Mahtabur Rahman Nasir and his family members. The list includes the names of Mahtabur Rahman's brother Mohammad Oliur Rahman, son Mohammad Emadur Rahman, nephews Mohammad Ashfaqur Rahman and Mohammad Ehsanur Rahman, and Al Haramain Group Executive Director Syed Sabbir Ahmed. In addition to bank accounts, their income tax records have been reviewed and detailed information has been sought from the Land Sub-Registry Office. An officer of the NBR's Central Intelligence Cell involved in the investigation said, "Al Haramain Perfumes showrooms in various countries around the world, including Bangladesh, are mainly used for hundi money transactions. If someone deposits money at the Bashundhara City showroom in Dhaka, that money is paid in dirhams at the City Center in Dubai. No small amount of money is transacted at these showrooms. Rather, hundreds of crores of taka are received from big businessmen or money launderers. In this case, the showrooms only keep accounts in a special ledger.’
He further said, ‘We have received information that in addition to the hundi business, Mahtabur Rahman also has an extensive network of gold smuggling. We have seen around the showrooms of Al Haramain Perfumes in Dhaka and Dubai that no customer came to buy perfume there even in 3-4 hours.’
In addition to the NBR’s Central Intelligence Cell (CIC), various intelligence agencies and regulatory authorities, including Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), are investigating Mahtabur Rahman Nasir on various allegations, including operating a vast hundi network and aiding influential people in money laundering. As part of this process, the Bangladesh Bank dissolved the board of NRB Bank PLC on March 12 due to lack of good governance and evidence of crimes. Mahtabur Rahman Nasir had been the chairman of the bank for more than nine years since 2016.
When asked about this, CIC Director General Ahsan Habib said, "75 percent of our investigation into Mahtabur Rahman Nasir has been completed. The documents that have been seized are being reviewed. And the work of verifying the authenticity of the information we have received is also underway. We can comment on this only after the investigation report is finalized."
Although the company has been operating in Bangladesh for almost a decade, all its showrooms are still making losses, according to those concerned. Parimal Chandra Dhar, who has been the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Al Haramain Group Bangladesh since 2017, said, "Despite having so many showrooms, we have never been able to make a profit in Bangladesh. Here, 150 percent VAT is paid on perfume. It is not possible to make a profit with so much VAT and tax. The business that existed before has also ended in the last few months. Sales have decreased a lot compared to before."
When asked about the group's hundi activities, Parimal Chandra Dhar said, "Let the NBR prove its claim."
