Land Cruiser abandoned in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi traced to ex home minister Asaduzzaman

An SUV valued at approximately Tk 2 crore was found abandoned in front of Baitul Aman Mosque in Dhanmondi, Dhaka, on Sunday morning, sparking widespread curiosity. The vehicle, a Land Cruiser with the license plate Dhaka Metro-Gha 21-8456, was eventually towed to a secure location around midnight with the assistance of the Bangladesh Army.

The mystery surrounding the unclaimed vehicle led to a flurry of questions about its ownership and origin, particularly after a Facebook user posted about it on social media.

In a post made at 1:00 am in the Traffic Alert group on Facebook, a user wrote, "A Land Cruiser has been abandoned on the road in front of Baitul Aman Mosque in Dhanmondi. The car has been here since Sunday morning, and it is unlocked. Does anyone recognize the owner?"

Despite efforts throughout the day and night, authorities were unable to locate the owner of the vehicle. However, information and photos obtained from various sources confirmed that the SUV belongs to former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

According to available records, the vehicle was purchased on July 31, 2022, although the registration was updated on July 28 of the same year. The vehicle‍‍`s fitness certificate, valid until January 3, 2027, lists the owner as Asaduzzaman Khan, with his father‍‍`s name, the late Ashraf Ali Khan, mentioned. The registration was completed at the BRTA office in Mirpur.

The registered phone number for the owner is 01711541569. A cross-check using the Truecaller app confirmed that the number is indeed linked to Asaduzzaman Khan.

Further evidence linking the vehicle to the former home minister includes a photograph showing him and several individuals, including former DC of DMP‍‍`s Tejgaon division H.M. Azimul Haque, posing with the car at the showroom shortly after its purchase. The license plate in the photograph matches that of the abandoned vehicle.

Reports suggest that following the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, many political leaders, including Asaduzzaman Khan, went into hiding. As public anger grew and homes of political figures were targeted for vandalism, the driver of the SUV reportedly parked the vehicle in the garage of the former minister’s house. However, amid increasing fear, the driver abandoned the car on the road in Dhanmondi and fled.