ZCZC
BSS-48
MORSHED-KHAN-ACCOUNTS
HC upholds lower court order freezing Morshed Khan’s bank accounts
DHAKA, Nov 18, 2019 (BSS) – The High Court today upheld the order of lower court that allowed the government to freeze the bank accounts of former foreign minister M Morshed Khan and his son Faisal Morshed Khan in Hong Kong.
A bench of the High Court Division comprising Justice Obaidur Rahman and Justice AKM Jahirul Haque pronounced the order.
Senior lawyers Ajmalul Hossain QC and Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh appeared for Morshed Khan, while advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
On September 19 this year, a Dhaka court allowed the government and the ACC to freeze the bank accounts and shares of Morshed Khan and his son Faisal Morshed Khan in Hong Kong.
Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan told reporters that now there is no legal bar to freeze the money once it is returned home.
Earlier, the authorities concerned of Hong Kong sent a letter to the government and the ACC saying that Morshed Khan and Faisal Morshed Khan have Hong Kong dollar worth Tk 16 crore with Standard Chartered Bank and 16.8 lakh shares of Fareast Telecommunications Ltd in Hong Kong.
The money and shares will be returned to Morshed Khan and Faisal if the authorities concerned of the Bangladesh government do not confiscate the money by October 25, the Hong Kong police and bank authorities said in the letter.
The Hong Kong authorities gave the information under the Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) sent by the ACC.
The national anti-graft watchdog filed a case with Gulshan Police Station in 2013 against Morshed Khan, his wife Nasrin Khan and their son Faisal Morshed Khan under the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012 and the case is now pending.
BSS/Corr/MRI/KU/2035 HRS