TDS Desk:

Former Finance Minister of the ousted Awami League government, A H M Mustafa Kamal, also known as Lotus Kamal, has crippled the country’s economy and amassed mountains of illegal wealth at home and abroad. Under the guise of manpower export to Malaysia, Lotus Kamal is the mastermind behind the embezzlement and laundering of BDT 11.28 billion (1,128 crore 61 lakh 50 thousand taka). In addition, he, in collusion with family members, acquired illegal assets worth BDT 10.15 billion (1,015 crore taka) and engaged in money laundering (transfer, conversion, relocation of funds).

It is known that manpower export or the “adam business” (labor trafficking) was Lotus Kamal’s first business. Through this venture, people were lured in, deceived, and defrauded of millions of takas. Many fell victim to Kamal’s trap and lost everything. Although he later became involved in various businesses, he never left the manpower trade. On the contrary, he brought his wife and two daughters into the business.

After Lotus Kamal’s political rise, his wife took control of the business, continuing the family’s fraudulent operations.

On March 11, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed 12 separate cases against Lotus Kamal and owners of 12 agencies, alleging embezzlement and laundering of BDT 11.28 billion under the guise of manpower export to Malaysia. These cases were lodged at ACC’s integrated district office (Dhaka-1).

According to the case statements, the accused colluded to betray public trust and abused their power during their tenure in various positions in BAIRA (Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies). As part of a syndicate, they charged five times the government-fixed amount, illegally exploiting migrant workers. They took additional fees from workers for passports, medical exams, and other services and misappropriated the excess funds. Lotus Kamal was the ringleader of these syndicates, established while he was finance minister, abusing his power with the help of his family.

In the first case, former finance minister A H M Mustafa Kamal and his wife Kashmeri Kamal, owners of Orbital Enterprise, were accused of embezzling and laundering BDT 1.009 billion (100 crore 98 lakh 57 thousand taka). In the second case, the same couple was accused of laundering BDT 501.66 million (50 crore 16 lakh 62 thousand 500 taka).

FURTHER CASES ALLEGE THE LAUNDERING OF:

BDT 115 million (11 crore 50 lakh 47 thousand 500 taka) in the third case,

BDT 914.2 million (91 crore 42 lakh 15 thousand taka) in the fourth,

BDT 1.193 billion (119 crore 32 lakh 70 thousand taka) in the fifth,

BDT 1.304 billion (130 crore 43 lakh 22 thousand 500 taka) in the seventh,

BDT 1.439 billion (143 crore 91 lakh 60 thousand taka) in the eighth,

BDT 1.355 billion (135 crore 55 lakh 77 thousand 500 taka) in the ninth,

BDT 706 million (70 crore 60 lakh 12 thousand 500 taka) in the tenth,

BDT 476.5 million (47 crore 65 lakh 37 thousand 500 taka) in the eleventh, and

BDT 635.9 million (63 crore 59 lakh 97 thousand 500 taka) in the twelfth case.

In the first case, Lotus Kamal is also accused of abusing his authority as a public servant to acquire illegal wealth worth BDT 275.2 million (27 crore 52 lakh 54 thousand 831 taka) inconsistent with his known income, as well as conducting suspicious transactions worth BDT 4.464 billion (446 crore 42 lakh 53 thousand 788 taka) through 32 personal and business bank accounts.

In the second case, his wife Kashmeri Kamal is accused of acquiring BDT 441.1 million (44 crore 11 lakh 62 thousand 146 taka) in illegal assets in collusion with her husband and conducting suspicious transactions worth BDT 266.4 million (26 crore 64 lakh 1 thousand 133 taka) through 20 bank accounts. Lotus Kamal is a co-accused.

In the third case, their daughter Kashfi Kamal is accused of acquiring BDT 317.8 million (31 crore 78 lakh 83 thousand 195 taka) in illegal assets with her father’s help, and conducting suspicious transactions worth BDT 1.774 billion (177 crore 48 lakh 23 thousand 548 taka) through 38 bank accounts. Lotus Kamal is also a co-accused in this case.

In the fourth case, another daughter, Nafisa Kamal, is accused of acquiring BDT 621.4 million (62 crore 14 lakh 77 thousand 516 taka) in illegal wealth in collaboration with her father, with suspicious transactions amounting to BDT 1.992 billion (199 crore 23 lakh 40 thousand 547 taka) through 17 bank accounts. Lotus Kamal is a co-accused here as well.

Notably, on October 23, the ACC began investigating allegations of illegal wealth accumulation and money laundering against Lotus Kamal.

The ACC’s Director General (Prevention), Md. Akhtar Hossain, said that instead of the government-fixed BDT 78,990, the syndicate extorted five times more money from 67,380 individuals, resulting in massive embezzlement.

Of this, through Messrs Orbital Enterprise, BDT 1.009 billion was taken from 6,029 expatriates. The company is owned by Kashmeri Kamal. Both she and her husband, Mustafa Kamal, have been charged.

Additionally, through Nafisa Kamal’s company, Messrs Orbital International, BDT 501.6 million was taken from 2,995 individuals. ACC plans to name her and her father as co-accused.

The ACC notes that each worker heading to Malaysia was charged an extra BDT 167,500.

Due to irregularities and syndicate operations, Malaysia halted manpower imports from Bangladesh in 2018. On December 19, 2021, they resumed under a new agreement. The maximum migration cost was set at BDT 78,540 under an order from the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment in 2022.

Until 2016, only 10 designated recruiting agencies were allowed to send workers to Malaysia. However, a new MoU in 2021 expanded this to 100 agencies. Yet, a new syndicate emerged, with 20–25 agencies dominating the process—reportedly led by A H M Mustafa Kamal.

Investigations show that Orbital International is a registered company in Malaysia, working to supply labor to various firms. Kashmeri Kamal is listed as its chairperson, but the company is registered using a UAE address and investment, not a Bangladeshi one. Though cases have been filed in Bangladesh, the company continues operations in Malaysia.