TDS Desk:

A H M Mustafa Kamal, widely known as Lotus Kamal, once served as Bangladesh’s Planning and Finance Minister under the Awami League government. However, his legacy has become synonymous not with reform or progress—but with corruption and embezzlement on an astonishing scale.

Despite reportedly working only 72 days in office over a five-year tenure as finance minister, Kamal amassed staggering wealth, much of it allegedly through scams ranging from stock market manipulation to bank loan fraud and irregularities in manpower exports and tender processes.

Today, Kamal and his family reside in Dubai, having relocated there with vast sums of illicitly obtained money. Investigations have revealed that Kamal, his wife Kashmeri Kamal, and daughter Nafisa Kamal collectively own at least 18 properties in the UAE, including luxurious villas in the prestigious Palm Jumeirah area. Nafisa and Kashmeri are also registered permanent residents of the UAE.

Kamal’s wife has reportedly invested around Tk5,000 crore into real estate projects through Orbital International, now operating in the UAE’s construction and housing sectors. The company, initially registered in Bangladesh for manpower export, has since pivoted to real estate development in Dubai.

Nafisa Kamal has established NK Sports, a Dubai-based sports charity and event management firm, in which former Bangladeshi cricket captain Shakib Al Hasan is named a sponsor. She also owns a fashion house and is developing a cosmetics brand, with plans to launch a production facility in Sharjah by December.

Beyond the UAE, the Kamal family has allegedly acquired properties and investments in the UK, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and even Pacific island nation Vanuatu, where Kamal has obtained citizenship through the “golden passport” programme, allowing him visa-free travel to over 130 countries. He is also reported to have opened Swiss bank accounts using his Dubai credentials.

According to confidential sources, Kamal’s financial empire abroad stems from massive capital flight starting in 2010, following the stock market collapse. His daughter Nafisa has also reportedly invested in Qatar’s stock exchange and applied to buy shares in two Saudi football clubs.

While Kamal’s dealings have triggered widespread public criticism, legal action or formal accountability remains elusive. His name continues to surface in major corruption probes, yet he remains beyond the reach of law enforcement—shielded by foreign citizenship, offshore assets, and political protection.

Once celebrated as a technocrat, Kamal now serves as a symbol of how power and privilege have enabled systemic looting at the cost of a nation’s economy and public trust.