Former chairman of Padma Bank Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat. File Photo

DHAKA, Nov 28, 2025 (BSS)- Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a case against former chairman of Padma Bank Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat and three others on charges of laundering money Taka1,613 crore, 

CID's financial crime unit filed the case with Gulshan Police Station, a press release of CID said.

CID said Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat and with his associate Dr Hasan Taher Imam obtained license of an asset management company-Race Management PCL in 2008.

The company got management of 10 termed mutual funds under the asset management company within 2013, which Nafis Sarafat used for personal interests. 
 
CID Special Superintendent of Police (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan said Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shaheed and associate Dr Hasan Taher Imam invested the fund of the asset management company and purchased shares of the then Farmers Bank (Padma Bank) to become a director of Padma Bank.

Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat also made his wife Anjuman Ara Shaheed a director of Southeast Bank.

The accused cleverly purchased a brokerage house namely-Multi Securities with the fund and later fraudulently embezzled the money.

Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat used the fund of Padma Bank to purchase Padma Bank Securities and Strategic Equity (Reg-2007) a security house owned by his close persons. 

The CID said that the accused persons acquired some plots from RAJUK and established various institutions/universities to facilitate laundering the money abroad.

Various allegations of corruption, including pressure to invest Taka 5 billion under the bond of Best Holdings and purchase of multiple houses and flats, were published on social media and in various media outlets against Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat and his associates.

CID's financial crime unit during the investigation found that a total of 78 accounts were operated in the names of Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid, son Rahib Safwan Sarafat Chowdhury and other individuals and business entities related to their interests in scheduled banks.

A total of about Taka1,809.75 crore was deposited in these accounts and about Tk.1805.58 crore was withdrawn. In 21 active accounts of Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat, his wife Anjuman Ara Shahid and son Rahib Safwan Sarafat Chowdhury have only Taka 29.21 lakh balance. 

Since a significant amount of money was transacted in these accounts, information/documents related to these accounts have been collected and analyzed, the CID said adding that in was revealed during the investigation that a total of 76 accounts were operated in various banks abroad in the name of Nafis Sarafat's son Rahib Safwan Sarafat Chowdhury. 

Chowdhury Nafis Sarafat himself owns a three-room flat and a five-room villa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the CID found.