The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) filed a money laundering case against former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed and his wife Rukhmila Zaman over allegations of siphoning Tk1,200 crore to Dubai.

Special Police Super of CID Jashim Uddin Khan said that the case was filed with Kotwali police station in Chattogram, naming five to seven more individuals as defendants, read a press release.

CID stated that the former land minister siphoned off a large sum of money to Dubai by purchasing 226 flats, registering companies, and depositing funds into overseas bank accounts.

Analysing Bangladesh Bank documents, CID found that the government never granted Saifuzzaman permission to register companies, invest, or acquire assets abroad.

The former minister also served as chairman of the Executive Committee of United Commercial Bank, chairman of the Aramit Group, and president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry.