The neo-rich, with illegally amassed wealth, are now under surveillance, said sources in the echelons of government.
Such a list of the neo-rich people has already been submitted by an agency to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who also directed to find out more such people and conduct enquiry into the sources of their income.
The sources said, enquiry might be launched soon against those who have become neo-rich with illegally amassed wealth or through corruption. Officials at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said they also have initiated to strengthen their drives against the corrupt and holders of illegal wealth.
Officials said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina became astonished on going through the names of the neo-rich people, and the huge amounts of their wealth. She also directed to find out more such people and details about their wealth, including the sources of their wealth and their background. The Prime Minister has also asked the authorities concerned to take actions immediately.
According to sources, the list of the neo-rich contains the names of several cabinet members, a large number of leaders of the ruling Bangladesh Awami League central committee, and leaders of different district and upazila unit committees of the party.
The sources also said that those who have newly become Awami Leaguers and are amassing illegal wealth by abusing the ruling party and its power are being included in the list.
A leader at the Awami League policymaking level said, a process of taking organisational punitive action against those who have amassed illegal wealth has been started. He said those illegal wealth owners would not get any post in the next councils at the district and upazila level units.
Earlier on January 6, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned against the corrupt and criminals saying that they will not be spared. She also vowed to keep the cleansing drives continued.
A cleansing drive inside the party has already been started earlier. As part of the drives, at least three ministers, four state-ministers and two deputy ministers already have been sidelined from the party leadership. None of them were given any post in the 21st Council of the Bangladesh Awami League held December 20-21 last year.
Besides, over 700 people, who belong to the ruling Awami League and its different front organisations, have already been arrested. They were arrested as part of the cleansing drives against money launderers, owners of illegal wealth, corrupt business persons and contractors, illegal casino business and other types of criminality. A large number of present and former government officials have also been arrested.
Of them, names of Ismail Hossain Somrat, Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, GK Shamim, Lokman Hossain and Selim Prodhan are mentionable.
Besides, bank accounts have been frozen and travel bans were imposed against several ruling party lawmakers including Nur-un-Nobi Chowdhury Shaon, Shamsul Huq Chowdhury, immediate past Jubo League chairman Omar Faryuq Chowdhury, Swechchhsebok League President Molla Md Abu Kawsar, General Secretary Pankaj Devnath, Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, Dhaka City Ward Coincilors Mominul Huq Sayeed, Habibur Rahman Mizan, Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, Mohamedan Sporting Club Director Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, Kalabagan Crira Chakra president Shafiqul Islam Firoz, Jubo League leaders Kazi Anisur Rahman, Mizanur Rahman Bakul, Awami League leader Enamul Huq Enu, his brother Rupam Bhuiyan, contractor GK Shamim, former PWD chief enginner Rafiqul Islam and present additional chief engineer Abdul Hye, mafia don Aziz Mohammad Bhai, their family members and business organisations. As part of the drives, all the casinos have been shut down.
In the latest development, a Jubo Mohila League leader, Papia, has also been arrested recently. Not only that, the ACC and different agencies of the government are now going into action against those who are linked with Papia and her crime ring.