Travel ban imposed on Nixon Chowdhury and three others amid ongoing investigation

A travel ban has been placed on former Faridpur-4 Member of Parliament, Nixon Chowdhury, his wife Tarin Hossain, and two other individuals by a Dhaka court. 

The decision was made on Monday by the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Zakir Hossain Galib, following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Along with Nixon and his wife, the ban extends to Mohammad Khairul Islam, a former Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration and a former executive member of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority. 

The travel ban also affects Syed Abed Ali Zibon, the driver of the former Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), who is embroiled in a controversial question leak case.

The request for the travel ban was made by ACC’s Assistant Director, Muhammad Shihab Salam. The court granted the petition after hearing the case.

According to the petition, Nixon Chowdhury and his wife, Tarin Hossain, had been attempting to leave the country secretly. 

It was argued that if they were allowed to travel abroad while the investigation is ongoing, it could harm the progress of the inquiry. 

To prevent any disruption in the investigation, the court ruled that they must remain in the country.

On January 9, the ACC filed two separate cases against Nixon Chowdhury and his wife, accusing them of engaging in unusual financial transactions, amounting to 316.2 crore Taka, and of illegally accumulating assets worth nearly 19.5 crore Taka.