FROM A MERE SCHOOL TEACHER TO OWNER OF A MOUNTAIN OF WEALTH

Special Correspondent:

Law enforcement agencies including Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) are trying to track down the location of the controversial former Parliament Member of Sirajganj-2 Constituency Jannat-Ara-Talukder Henry, who amassed a mountain of wealth without any legal and visible source of incomes.

Meanwhile, three separate cases have been lodged against her in connection with the killing of three Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal men during the Quota Reform Movement.

Now, question has intensified that, where is she now? It is said that, after resignation and expatriation of the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the controversial ex-MP Jannat-Ara-Talukder Henry went hiding to avert arrest and police harassment.

Though, there is a rumor that, she is still living in Sirajganj in concealment under the shelter of an influential quarter, no authorized source could confirm her location so far.

However, exhilaration has been found among the Sirajganj dwellers after spreading news that ACC is going to launch investigation soon against her over the allegations of amassing crores of Taka in illegal manner.

According to her income-tax statement, about one and a half decade ago, Jannat-Ara-Talukder Henry, former Member of Parliament of Sirajganj-2 Constituency, had an annual income of Tk 1.22 lakh and expenditure of Tk 80,000.

At that time, her wealth was about Tk 6.35 lakh. At present, her wealth unbelievably has increased to about Tk 56.9 crore.

Henry’s wealth has increased 884 times in the last 15 and half years since 2008.

At the same time, her husband Shamim Talukdar Labu’s wealth has also increased 136 times.

According to the information of the reliable sources, the real market value of Henry’s assets is above Tk 300 crore.

It is alleged that, she amassed huge amount of assets through corruption, irregularities and abusing of power. Of them, lobbying trade on recruitment, transfer and promotion purpose was fundamental among other illegal processes of amassing money and assets. She siphoned bulk portion of the money abroad through illegal channels.

ACC received more than one allegation before her winner in election in 2024. But, no investigation report sees the face of light due to political favour. The then premier Sheikh Hasina nominated the controversial lady even after knowing about her all scams including hall mark graft.

In this present circumstance, ACC has decided to investigate into the allegations for the sake of nation. A top official of the organization confirmed the matter to the media recently.

According to the complaint filed with the ACC, Jannat-Ara-Talukder Henry took part in the ninth National Parliament elections in 2008.

In the affidavit submitted by her to the Election Commission at that time, the amount of movable and immovable assets was only Tk 6,34,500. He showed an annual income of Tk 1,22,000 from teaching and agriculture sector, and expenditure was Tk 80,000.

After defeat of the election in 2008, Henry was appointed as a member of the board of directors of Sonali Bank in 2009. Since then, she gained the lamp of magic like Aladin’s lamp according to the several stories. The Hallmark loan scandal also occurred during her tenure.

In this incident, some members of the board of directors were accused for realizing bribes. Hallmark Group Managing Director Tanveer Ahmed, the mastermind of the loan fraud, in his confessional statement given under Section 164 stated that, some members of the board of directors of Sonali Bank including Henry took bribes from him promising to assist.

Then, the ACC filed cases and submitted charge sheets against Tanveer and some bank officials, but the organization did not take any legal action against any member of the board of directors of the Sonali Bank due to mysterious reasons.

The members of the board of directors got rid from the charges with the blessing of unseen evil forces. Henry was not away from that blessing. ACC acquitted her.

It is known that, she became reckless after getting immunity from ACC. She was elected as Parliament Member for Sirajganj-2 Constituency in the mechanized election of the AL in 2024. She also grabbed the Joint General Secretary post of the Sirajganj District Awami League by managing top leaders. Using the political influence, she accumulated huge amount of wealth through different illegal means in the last 15 years. Now he earns about Tk 8.5 crores a year and spends Tk 3 crores, said her statement submitted to the election commission.

According to income-tax documents, her total assets as of June 30, 2023 stood at Tk 56,8,95,602.

Just from a general school teacher, she turned into multimillionaire and owner of five flats and houses in Dhaka and many other assets in Sirajganj on the blessing of unknown magic lamp like the lamp of that Aladdin story.

In the statement, the price of flats and houses has shown at Tk 5,22,14,000. In addition, she has 1,345 decimals of agricultural and 190.75 decimals of non-agricultural lands in Dhaka and Sirajganj. The price of which was shown at Tk 7,85,05000. Besides, she has more Tk 33,49,29,767 in the bank with FDR.

THE UNDISCLOSED AND UNREPRESENTED MOVABLE AND IMMOVABLE ASSETS OF HENRY:

Among others, the undisclosed and unrepresented movable and immovable assets, Henry and her husband have 16 houses, 2 resorts, a dairy farm and several hundred decimals of agricultural and non-agricultural land.

These include multi-storied commercial building on Sirajganj Station (SS) Road, which has been named after her a sister. The ground floor of the building is used market for several shops and the remaining floors are used as a residential hotel. There is a building called Ras Medicare on the Mujib Road in the town. Besides, there are two commercial buildings in Sayedabad Sadanandpur bus terminal area. An old age care center named ‘Henry Bhuban’ was inaugurated recently at Ghazaria area, while Motahar Hossain Talukdar Homeo Medical College and Hospital is located in the same district.

Henry Scholastica School and College is located on the Fazal Khan Road in the town. The luxurious three-storied house, where Henry used to live, is located on the Mujib Road in the town. But, the house was torched by the agitating mobs during the fall of Hasina government. Next to her residential building has a private clinic cum commercial building.

Apart from this, she has newly constructed multi-storied residential and commercial buildings located on the Mujib road. Not only that, there are more than one educational institutes including Henry Science and Technology College and Henry Institute of Bioscience and Technology in Nalchapara area.

She has a multi-storied residential building at Sayedabad’s Sadanandpur area, a single-storied building in her own village and another building that located opposite direction of the Sirajganj post office. Apart from this, there are flats and lands in Mirpur of Dhaka. She has over 100 bhori of gold ornaments, the sources revealed.

NINE LUXURY CARS IN HER POSSESSION:

It is to be mentioned that, Henry was mere an assistant teacher at Sabujkanan High School in Sirajganj town. At that time, she used to walk to school. Currently she possesses nine luxury cars for her movements.

Among them, a Prado Jeep, which number is Dhaka Metro Gha-21-7344 and purchase price is around Tk 95 lakh. Among two other private cars, one car’s number is Dhaka Metro-Ga-39-1503 and the price is around Tk 18 lakh. The price of another car, which number is Dhaka Metro-Ga-32-2277, is about Tk 26 lakh.

She is owner of a pickup van, which price is about Tk 12 lakh. She has five microbuses, which prices are Tk 18.50 lakh, Tk 16.65 lakh, Tk 10.50 lakh, Tk 32.15 lakh and Tk 15.80 lakh respectively.

The value of her nine cars was shown as Tk 2.45 crore. In all, Henry has amassed about Tk 300 crores of wealth. But surprisingly, there is no visible source to her to earn such lot of money.

HUSBAND LABU’S WEALTH HAS INCREASED 136 TIMES:

Henry’s husband Shamim Talukdar Labu, who had possessed assets of Tk 7 lakh in 2008, became owner of assets worth around Tk 9,51,55,370 till June 30, 2022.

Finally, he became Chairman of Zilla Parishad throughout a mechanized election just after few days of his wife became MP for the mentioned constituency.

Many assets including houses, flats, agricultural and non-agricultural lands have been purchased in his name and unnamed in the last 15 years abusing power of his wife. He has also purchased houses and cars in Germany, several sources revealed.

Seeking anonymity, a senior official of the law enforcement agency said, “We are trying to trace her location. If she is found, the mystery behind amassing of her huge money will come to forwards.”

When The Daily Sky tried to contact with Henry over cell phone several times for her comment in this regard, her number was found to be switched off.