Monir Hossain alias ‘Golden Monir’ through illegal means owns 23 plots in Dhaka including 20 government plots and seven buildings. He also has Tk 7.91 billion deposit in the bank.

The information of such huge amount of Monir’s wealth was unearthed in an investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police.

CID inspector Md Ibrahim Hossain found out the ill-gotten wealth of Monir through five-month investigation.

Elite force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Monir with arms and drug after a raid at his Merool Badda house on 20 November 2020. A case was filed against him with Badda police station under the Special Power Act. Monir, who is now in jail, has been made accused in four other cases.

CID officials said Monir amassed the wealth through smuggling gold, occupying land through forgery and collecting tolls. He later invested in different businesses and amassed huge wealth in connivance with a ward councilor of Dhaka North City Corporation and Sirajganj Awami League leader.

Deputy inspector general (DIG) of CID’s organised crime division Abdullahel Baqi told Prothom Alo on Sunday that they had got information of illegal wealth of Golden Monir and his associates. The approval has been given to file a money laundering case against Monir with Badda police station.

CID sources said first information report (FIR) has been prepared against 10 persons including the ward councilor and the Sirajganj Awami League leader.

Monir’s wife, son, two sisters and brother-in-law have also been made accused in the case statement.

A money laundering case would be filed against them with Badda police station in a day or two.

CID sources said Golden Monir became one of the owners of Grand Jamjam Tower in Uttara sector No. 13 and Safa Tower of Uttara sector 11.

He also owns 90-katha land in different areas of Dhaka including 19 plots of 2.5-Katha per plot in Badda housing project of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), a 10-katha plot at Purbachal New Model Town, two 8-katha plots in Baridhara J block, a 1.75-katha plot in Khilkhet and 12-katha plot at Nolvog area of Turag.

Golden Monir also owns 2.5 bigha land at Char Ruhitpur in Keraniganj. He has ownership of a real estate company Swadesh Properties.

CID said Golden Monir has over Tk 7.91 billion deposit in 129 bank accounts.

Golden Monir’s business company Auto Car Selection Limited had sent Tk 50 million to RAJUK Karmachari multipurpose welfare association’s bank account. The transaction has been marked as ‘mysterious’.

Monir’s wife Rowshan Ara is taking benefit from five buildings at Badda DIT project. Monir has given ownership of car auto center to his son Rafi Hossain, 24.

According to CID, a councilor of the Dhaka North City Corporation aided and abetted Monir in amassing the wealth illegally. The councilor took lease of a parking lot at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and helped Monir in smuggling gold. Monir and his associates built 14-storied Jamjam tower by the wealth earned through illegal means.

The councilor is one of the owners of the building. He is also accused in three cases filed with Uttarkhan and Dakshinkhan police stations.

The Sirajganj AL leader, who would work at Sonali Bank’s airport branch as a peon, was acquainted with Monir in 1996. He also got involved in gold smuggling with Monir and left the job later. He is also one of the owners of Jamjam Tower and Safa Tower.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print and online editions, has been rewritten in English by Galib Ashraf.