TDS Desk:

Architect of “Aynaghar” Major General (retired) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, former security adviser to ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has allegedly laundered billions of taka abroad.

Allegations have surfaced that Tarique Siddique and his wife Shahnaz Siddique embezzled billions through commission-based deals in various government agencies.

With Sheikh Hasina’s backing, they amassed and laundered significant amounts of money. It has also been revealed that they secretly invested in multiple businesses within the country.

For an extended period, the controversial National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) had been unlawfully spying on citizens’ phones and social media. NTMC received technical assistance and illegal equipment from Tiger IT, a technology firm blacklisted by the World Bank and subject to international sanctions.

Shahnaz Siddique is credited with introducing Tiger IT to NTMC. Furthermore, this controversial company is also responsible for implementing projects for the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

The couple allegedly provided direct support for approving private airlines, loans for business expansion, and investments. These revelations have come to light following the ousting of the Awami League government through a student-led uprising.

Tarique Siddique is the younger brother of Shafique Ahmed Siddique, the husband of Sheikh Hasina’s younger sister Sheikh Rehana. Tarique previously served as the personal security chief for Hasina during her time as opposition leader. He was appointed security adviser to the Prime Minister in 2014 and reappointed after the 2018 elections. Although his advisory role ended in January, Sheikh Hasina appointed him as an adviser with the rank of a minister on the same day.

Investigations indicate that Tiger IT’s Chairman Ziaur Rahman aided NTMC’s senior official Major General Ziaul Ahsan in leaking citizens’ personal data. Although top NTMC officials are now facing legal action following the regime change, Ziaur Rahman, who provided core technical services for these controversial projects, remains untouchable.

Under the influence of the Tarique-Shahnaz duo, Tiger IT, IBCS-Primax, and Computer Services Limited (CSL) were involved in NTMC’s surveillance projects, receiving commissions for importing illegal equipment from various countries.

It was also revealed that Tiger IT’s chairman controlled BRTA for years under the protection of Tarique Siddique. In 2019, the World Bank blacklisted Tiger IT for 9.5 years due to corruption in a smart card printing project for the Election Commission. Ziaur Rahman himself was blacklisted for 6.5 years.

As a result, Tiger IT and Ziaur Rahman are prohibited from participating in World Bank tenders until 2027 and 2025, respectively. Despite being blacklisted, Tiger IT controlled BRTA for 13 years due to Tarique’s influence, even blocking the issuance of new tenders.

The investigation further uncovered that the Tarique couple has investments in an industrial group named Tusuka Group. One of its directors was appointed as an independent director of a private bank in 2020 at their behest. Another director was made an Awami League-backed Member of Parliament for the Brahmanbaria-5 (Nabinagar) constituency.

Through this business group, the Tarique couple laundered billions of taka abroad, transferring the funds to their second homes in Canada, the U.S., and other countries. Attempts to contact Tusuka Group for comment were unsuccessful.