Four warehouses operated by TOS Bond Private Limited, linked to Sheikh Nur Islam, father-in-law of content creator Salman Muqtadir, have been sealed following allegations that duty-free alcohol was being stored in two unauthorised facilities.

The warehouses were sealed during a joint operation at the company’s premises in South Gulshan late on Thursday night, according to a statement issued by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).

The operation was conducted by the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID), the Department of Narcotics Control and the Special Response Battalion (SRB). The NBR said the facilities were sealed for further verification after inspectors initially found what they described as ‘serious irregularities’.

A customs intelligence official said the operation began at about 10.30pm on Thursday and continued until 4.30am.

Under the bonded warehouse system, imported goods held under duty and tax privileges are subject to specific controls. Customs officials said duty-free alcohol can be purchased only by diplomats working in Bangladesh and other individuals who qualify for such privileges under the law.

TOS Bond had reportedly been under scrutiny for several months following allegations that duty-free products were being sold on the open market at high prices. The latest operation was part of the authorities’ continuing examination of the company’s activities.

Discrepancy over number of warehouses

According to the NBR, TOS Bond had two authorised or declared warehouses. During the inspection, however, officials found goods stored across four warehouses.

Authorities said all four facilities were therefore sealed to prevent the possible transfer or removal of goods imported under the bonded facility and to ensure that the investigation could be conducted without interference.

The NBR has not announced any final finding on whether the goods were unlawfully moved or sold. It said detailed verification and investigation were continuing.

The bonded warehouse system allows eligible businesses to hold certain imported goods under specified customs arrangements. Such facilities are subject to documentation, storage and movement requirements, and authorities can inspect them to determine whether goods are being handled in accordance with the applicable rules.

Canadian information examined

The investigation extends beyond the warehouse operation. The NBR’s Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) and the income tax intelligence unit have also examined information obtained from Canada concerning Nur Islam and members of his family.

According to officials familiar with the investigation, the Canadian intelligence material contains information about citizenship, financial transactions and ownership interests in at least four companies involving Nur Islam and members of his family.

The material reportedly lists Nur Islam, his wife Sheila Islam and daughter Tasnim Islam as directors of the bonded warehouse business in Dhaka.

Investigators have also reviewed financial information covering the period from 26 April 2012 to 19 April 2022. A total of 163 financial reports from that period were examined, according to officials from the CIC, the income tax intelligence unit and the NBR.

The records reportedly include 17 transactions classified by investigators as suspicious, two reports concerning attempted suspicious transactions, 118 reports involving large cash transactions, 26 reports relating to transfers through the Electronic Fund Transfer Network (EFTN), and two documents concerning cross-border transactions.

The investigation also found information indicating that approximately Tk 950 million in remittances had been received over a one-year period, officials said.

The information comes from an ongoing investigation. The presence of a transaction in an intelligence report does not, by itself, establish that it was unlawful, and the authorities have not announced a final determination regarding the transactions.

Authorities say probe predates studio attack

Officials involved in the investigation have said the warehouse operation was not connected to the recent incident involving Salman Muqtadir’s studio.

A CIC official told bdnews24.com that Muqtadir was not the focus of the investigation and that intelligence agencies had already been working on the matter. The official said investigators had obtained information during the process and that further action could follow.

An income tax intelligence official said the authorities had been examining Nur Islam’s various business interests, including his alcohol business and bonded warehouse. The inquiry expanded after investigators obtained information indicating that Nur Islam and some members of his family held foreign citizenship.

According to the official, the issue involves several areas of taxation and customs administration, including income tax, VAT and duties on imported goods. As a result, several agencies are involved in the investigation.

Separate case follows attack on studio

The warehouse operation comes amid a separate investigation following an attack in Dhaka on 26 September.

Several properties and structures at the New Guinea housing project in South Manikdi were attacked and vandalised that night. Brownfish, the studio of Salman Muqtadir, was among the properties damaged.

After the incident, Muqtadir went live on Facebook and accused the BNP of extortion in connection with the incident. He also made several remarks directed at Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. He later withdrew his allegations of extortion against those in power.

A case filed by Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, director of New Guinea Properties, subsequently cited land-related disputes and previous enmity as the alleged reasons for the attack.

The case names 13 people, including retired Major General Golam Mohiuddin Chowdhury. It also lists between 150 and 200 unidentified people as accused.

Police have reported the arrest of seven people in connection with the case so far. Among them are Golam Mohiuddin Chowdhury and Mizanur Rahman, son-in-law of Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Abdul Gafur of Kushtia-2.

Separately, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) sought information on Salman Muqtadir’s bank accounts on Wednesday.

Officials involved in the customs and tax inquiries have maintained that the TOS Bond investigation is separate from the case concerning the studio attack. For now, the authorities are examining the number and location of the company’s warehouses, the storage and movement of bonded goods, and the wider financial and tax affairs of Nur Islam and his family.