In a significant operation, a substantial amount of gold jewellery weighing 832 bhori has been recovered from two personal lockers belonging to the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. On Tuesday night, a high-level joint task force comprising the Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) conducted the raid at the main branch of Agrani Bank in Dilkusha, Dhaka. Under the supervision of a magistrate, lockers numbered 751 and 753 were opened, leading to the seizure of the jewellery. This marks the first time that bank lockers officially registered in the former Prime Minister’s name have been formally accessed by investigators.
The operation follows the dramatic political shift in Bangladesh on 5 August, when Sheikh Hasina resigned from her post and sought refuge in India amid a massive student-led uprising. Since the interim government assumed office, there has been an intensive drive to identify and recover illicit assets accumulated by former ministers, members of parliament, and influential associates of the previous administration. These specific lockers at Agrani Bank had been under scrutiny for some time and were officially frozen by the CIC on 17 September. Furthermore, on 10 September, another locker (No. 128) belonging to the former PM at Pubali Bank’s Motijheel Corporate branch in the Sena Kalyan Bhaban was also seized.
Official sources estimate the market value of the recovered 832 bhori of gold—approximately 9.7 kilograms—to be worth millions of Taka. The ACC has confirmed that a detailed inventory of the items has been prepared and they are currently investigating the legal source of these assets. This high-profile seizure has intensified public discourse regarding transparency and accountability within the nation’s leadership. Authorities have indicated that more searches may follow, focusing on the bank accounts and safe-deposit boxes of other high-ranking officials and family members linked to the ousted regime. Legal proceedings and asset recovery efforts are expected to continue as part of a broader anti-corruption mandate to ensure justice for the public exchequer.
GLIVE/TSN