Former Bangladeshi minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury has been revealed to own more than 300 high-end apartments in Dubai, according to newly leaked property data from 2023.
The leaks, reported by Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit, show that Chowdhury’s real estate empire in the UAE is worth over $140 million.
His wife, Rukhmila Zaman, also owns 50 properties in Dubai, valued at more than $25 million, bringing their combined property portfolio in the UAE to nearly $170 million.
The revelations come after Al Jazeera’s exposé The Minister’s Millions aired in September, uncovering Chowdhury's vast global property holdings, which are estimated to be worth around $500 million.
The former minister, who served in Sheikh Hasina’s government, had previously boasted about owning luxury properties in London, New York, and Dubai.
Since 2016, he is said to have purchased over 360 homes in Britain alone.
Dubai property leaks
Earlier leaks from 2020 and 2022, obtained by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS) and shared with media outlets including E24 and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), had identified 54 properties linked to Chowdhury and his wife. However, the 2023 data suggests their holdings are far larger.
Chowdhury reportedly owns a penthouse in Dubai's prestigious Opera District, valued at over $5 million. He boasted in undercover footage about his ownership of the luxury apartment, with land records confirming the claim.
Overall, the new data suggests the couple owns more than 600 properties worldwide.
Money laundering probes
These property disclosures come as Chowdhury faces a sweeping corruption investigation in Bangladesh.
Following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country's interim government has launched probes into allegations of widespread corruption by former ministers, including Chowdhury.
Bangladesh’s currency laws prohibit citizens from taking more than $12,000 out of the country annually, but Al Jazeera’s investigation revealed that Chowdhury failed to declare any of his offshore wealth from 2018 to 2023, violating tax laws.
In response, Bangladeshi authorities have frozen the bank accounts of both Chowdhury and his wife, while imposing travel restrictions.
Chowdhury has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the funds used to purchase his overseas properties were generated through legitimate businesses outside of Bangladesh.
He dismissed the investigation as a politically motivated "witch-hunt" aimed at individuals associated with the previous government.
Rukhmila Zaman has not commented on the allegations or the ongoing investigations.