Staff Correspondent

The whereabouts of former National Board of Revenue (NBR) official Matiur Rahman and the once-powerful Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, both of whom amassed wealth through corruption and irregularities, remain a mystery.

Since the "goat incident" involving his son, Matiur has not been seen in public. Multiple sources said that he is still in Dhaka. Meanwhile, a number of sources indicate that Benazir Ahmed is in Turkey.

Former NBR member Matiur Rahman has amassed vast wealth, not only in his own name but also in the names of his wife, children, and relatives. He owns houses, flats, plots, and land in different locations, including Dhaka, Savar, Gazipur, Narsingdi and Barisal. Additionally, he and his family members have Fixed Deposit Receipts (FDR) in both government and private banks, and they have investments worth hundreds of crores of taka in the stock market.

After the "goat incident," Matiur has not been seen in public. Although he was transferred from the NBR to the Internal Resources Division and joined his new workplace, he has not been attending the office. Since the Eid holidays, he has not been seen in the office even for a single day, nor has he taken any leave. In this situation, rumours have spread again that Matiur is not in the country. Some speculate that he secretly left the country using a fake passport. However, sources confirmed that he is in Dhaka, staying mostly in hiding.

Meanwhile, Matiur's first wife, Laila Kaniz Lucky, the Chairman of Raipura Upazila in Narsingdi, has amassed significant wealth under both her own and different other names. Over the past 15 years, she has built a vast fortune, with assets not only in Raipura but also in various locations across the country. The wealth is not limited to her name alone; her two children, Toufiqur Rahman Arnab and Farzana Rahman Ipsita, also have considerable assets in their names.

An investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was initiated against them. Subsequently, on 24 June, ACC Deputy Director Anwar Hossain applied to the court for a travel ban against them. In response to the ACC's application, the court issued a travel ban for Matiur Rahman, his wife Laila Kaniz, and their son Ahmed Toufiqur Rahman Arnab. Since then, Laila Kaniz has remained in the country and is seen moving around Narsingdi with an entourage.

Narsingdi gained attention during the quota reform movement for incidents like setting fire to the Kishoreganj-bound intercity train, causing destruction on the Sylhet highway, vandalising, and setting fire to the district jail. Laila Kaniz Lucky, who became the Upazila Chairman under the nomination of the Awami League, was in hiding. She had no visible role as an Upazila Chairman during the chaos caused by the miscreants.

It is known that Laila Kaniz, who transitioned from a teacher to a politician, possesses substantial assets under various names. She has significant wealth in her electoral area, as well as in Dhaka, Savar, Pubail, Gazipur, Jessore, and other districts and upazilas across the country.

On the other hand, the current whereabouts of former IGP Benazir Ahmed and his family members are unclear. After the ACC began investigating him, he went into hiding. Media reports said that he left the country on a flight to Singapore. Some sources suggest that he is currently residing in Turkey.

Benazir Ahmed has accumulated considerable assets, including resorts and hotels, in different locations across the country under various names, including those of his wife and children.

Notably, Benazir Ahmed left the country with his family on 4 May during the ongoing ACC investigation into illegal wealth accumulation. He served as an IGP from April 2020 to September 2022. Before that, he was the Director General (DG) of RAB from January 2015 to April 2020 and also served a long tenure as the Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).