DHAKA, July 2, 2025 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) is investigating suspicious transactions of Shawkat Ali Chowdhury, chairman of the Eastern Bank PLC, with former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat and former Chairman of Padma Bank Chowdhury Nafiz Sarafat.

To this end, the BFIU ordered scheduled banks to send the transactions details of Shawkat Ali and his wife's, daughter's and son's bank accounts within today (Wednesday).

Shawkat Ali Chowdhury's wife Tasmia Ambareen is the Vice Chairman of National Life Insurance Company while daughter Zara Namreen and son Md. Zaran Ali Chowdhury are directors of the Eastern Bank.

The BFIU received information about these suspicious transactions in the accounts of Shawkat Ali and his wife, son, and daughter. 

All bank accounts of Mohammad Ali Arafat and Nafiz Sharafat, along with Md Shawkat Ali Chowdhury and his family members, have been ordered to be blocked for 30 days to investigate the 'suspicious transactions'.

After receiving information about multiple 'suspicious transactions' between Mohammad Ali Arafat and Chowdhury Nafiz Sarafat with the Shawkat Ali family, the BFIU wrote to all scheduled banks in the country on Monday, ordering them to freeze all bank accounts in the names of Shawkat Ali, his wife Tasmia Ambareen, daughter Zara Namreen and son Md. Zaran Ali Chowdhury for 30 days for investigation.