Saifuzzaman Chowdhury
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury (born 18 February 1969) is a Bangladesh Awami League politician and member of parliament from Chittagong-13.[1][2][3][4] He served as the Minister of Land during Sheikh Hasina's Fourth Cabinet.[5]
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury | |
|---|---|
সাইফুজ্জামান চৌধুরী | |
| Minister of Land | |
| In office 7 January 2019 – 11 January 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Sheikh Hasina |
| Preceded by | Shamsur Rahman Sherif |
| Succeeded by | Narayon Chandra Chanda |
| Member of Parliament | |
| Assumed office 7 January 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Oli Ahmad |
| Constituency | Chittagong-13 |
| In office 2013–2014 | |
| Preceded by | Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu |
| Succeeded by | Shamsul Haque Chowdhury |
| Constituency | Chittagong-12 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 February 1969 |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Political party | Bangladesh Awami League |
| Parent |
|
| Awards | UN Public Service award |
Early life edit
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury was born on 18 February 1969 in Anwara, Chattogram.[6][7] His father was freedom fighter and senior Awami League leader Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury and his mother was Noor Nahar Jaman.[7] His wife, Rukhmila Zaman, is the chairperson of United Commercial Bank.[8]
Career edit
Chowdhury was elected to the parliament from Chittagong-13 in 2014.[6] He is a member of the executive committee of United Commercial bank and Chairman of the Arameet group. He was thrice elected President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce.[9]
In 2020, Chowdhury received the UN Public Service award for digitalising services of the Ministry of Land.[10]
Controversy edit
Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, under the leadership of his father Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu forced into the United Commercial Bank (Bangladesh) with 50 to 60 armed cadres in 1999 and captured the leadership of the bank putting the directors at gunpoint.[11] Also Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed has at least 260 properties in the United Kingdom for which he has paid at least GBP 134.76 million or Tk 1,888 crore, according to The Daily Star's calculation from company filings publicly available on UK government websites.[12][13][14]
The three-time Awami League lawmaker has also at least 537 mortgages against properties in the UK. A vast majority of these properties are in London. However, his tax returns, submitted along with his affidavit to the Election Commission, states that he has no foreign income. The affidavit says his annual income from business is only Tk 1.35 lakh. Although the affidavit must also reveal the annual income of dependents -- like wife and children -- the minister left that blank. In addition, his affidavit says that he and his wife jointly hold shares and debentures of only Tk 17.90 crore, about a hundred times less than his total known investment in UK properties.
References edit
- ^ "47-member new cabinet announced". The Daily Star. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-08.
- ^ "JS committee suggests no construction on agri-land". The Financial Express. Dhaka. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- ^ "EC to write to PMO, Speaker seeking action against Mymensingh MP Sharif Ahmed for 'threatening' election official". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- ^ . Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- ^ "Activists vandalise Chittagong Awami League office over nomination in Union Parishad elections". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Constituency 290_11th_En". Bangladesh Parliament. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
- ^ a b সাইফুজ্জামান চৌধুরী. Priyo.com (in Bengali).
- ^ "Mrs. Rukhmila Zaman - United Commercial Bank (UCB)". Mrs. Rukhmila Zaman - United Commercial Bank (UCB). Retrieved 2022-01-31.
- ^ ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়ের মন্ত্রী হিসেবে দায়িত্ব পেয়েছেন সাইফুজ্জামান চৌধুরী. Odhikar (in Bengali).
- ^ "Land Ministry receives 'UN Public Service' award; minister..." UNB. Retrieved 2020-11-03.
- ^ "Lessons from three black chapters of the banking sector". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ Islam, Zyma; Bhattacharjee, Partha Pratim (2023-12-29). "Land Minister Javed owns at least 260 properties in the UK". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- ^ Bhattacharjee, Zyma Islam and Partha Pratim (2023-12-29). "Bangladesh land minister owns at least 260 properties in the UK". Asia News Network. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
- ^ "The Bangladeshi Politician and His £200 Million UK Property Empire". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 2024-03-01.