{{short description|Bangladeshi politician (born 1969)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Saifuzzaman Chowdhury | native_name = সাইফুজ্জামান চৌধুরী | native_name_lang = bn | office = Member of Parliament | constituency = Chittagong-13 | parliament = Bangladesh | term_start = 8 January 2013 | term_end = 6 August 2024 | predecessor = Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu | successor = Sarwar Jamal Nizam | office1 = Minister of Land | term_start1 = 7 January 2019 | predecessor1 = Shamsur Rahman Sherif | prime_minister1 = Sheikh Hasina | successor1 = Narayon Chandra Chanda | term_end1 = 11 January 2024 | office2 = Minister of State for Land | term_start2 = 12 January 2014 | term_end2 = 7 January 2019 | prime_minister2 = Sheikh Hasina | predecessor2 = Mostafizur Rahman | successor2 = Kayser Kamal | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|02|18|df=y}} | birth_place = Chittagong, East Pakistan, Pakistan | father = Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu | spouse = Rukhmila Zaman | party = Bangladesh Awami League | awards = | image = File:Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed in 2019.jpg | caption = Chowdhury in 2019 }}
'''Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed''' (born 18 February 1969) is a Bangladesh Awami League politician and a former Jatiya Sangsad member representing the Chittagong-13 constituencies.<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 January 2019 |title=47-member new cabinet announced |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/politics/new-cabinet-members-of-bangladesh-government-formed-monday-1683733 |access-date=2019-01-08 |work=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=JS committee suggests no construction on agri-land |url=http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2016/08/23/43165/JS-committee-suggests-no-construction-on-agri-land |access-date=16 September 2016 |work=The Financial Express |location=Dhaka}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=EC to write to PMO, Speaker seeking action against Mymensingh MP Sharif Ahmed for 'threatening' election official |url=http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2016/01/20/ec-to-write-to-pmo-speaker-seeking-action-against-mymensingh-mp-sharif-ahmed-for-threatening-election-official |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=16 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Independence Day celebrated across the country |url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/mar/27/independence-day-celebrated-across-country |access-date=16 September 2016 |work=Dhaka Tribune |archive-date=19 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919182225/http://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/mar/27/independence-day-celebrated-across-country |url-status=dead }}</ref> He served as the Minister of Land at the Fourth Hasina ministry during 2019–2024.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Activists vandalise Chittagong Awami League office over nomination in Union Parishad elections |url=http://bdnews24.com/politics/2016/04/15/activists-vandalise-chittagong-awami-league-office-over-nomination-in-union-parishad-elections |work=bdnews24.com |access-date=16 September 2016}}</ref> Chowdhury has been embroiled in major controversies, including the forceful takeover of United Commercial Bank in 1999 and allegations of amassing an undisclosed overseas property empire worth hundreds of millions of dollars.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Reporter |first=Staff |last2=Ctg |date=2025-07-24 |title=Ex-land minister Saifuzzaman, 30 others sued over embezzling Tk 25cr from UCB |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/corruption/news/ex-land-minister-saifuzzaman-30-others-sued-over-embezzling-tk-25cr-ucb-3947161 |access-date=2025-09-15 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Report |first=Star |date=2025-06-12 |title=UK freezes assets of ex-land minister Saifuzzaman |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/uk-freezes-assets-ex-land-minister-saifuzzaman-3915026 |access-date=2025-09-15 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life == Saifuzzaman Chowdhury was born on 18 February 1969 in Anwara, Chattogram.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Constituency 290_11th_En|url=http://www.parliament.gov.bd/index.php/bn/contact-bangla/2014-04-03-14-23-28/309-mps-category/mps-of-11th-parliament/3851-constituency-290-11th-en|access-date=2021-05-28|website=Bangladesh Parliament}}</ref><ref name="K" /> His father was freedom fighter and senior Awami League leader Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu and his mother was Noor Nahar Jaman.<ref name="K">{{Cite news|url=https://news.priyo.com/people/saifuzzaman-chowdhury|script-title=bn:সাইফুজ্জামান চৌধুরী|work=Priyo.com |language=bn}}</ref> His wife, Rukhmila Zaman, was the chairperson of United Commercial Bank.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mrs. Rukhmila Zaman - United Commercial Bank (UCB)|url=https://www.ucb.com.bd/know-ucb/about-us/board-of-directors/mrs-rukhmila-zaman|access-date=2022-01-31|website=Mrs. Rukhmila Zaman - United Commercial Bank (UCB)|language=en}}</ref>
== Career == Chowdhury was elected to the parliament from Chittagong-13 in 2014.<ref name=":0" /> He is a member of the executive committee of United Commercial bank and Chairman of the Arameet group. He was thrice elected President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.odhikar.news/national/39382/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A7%82%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A3%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%87%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8C%E0%A6%A7%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80|script-title=bn:ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়ের মন্ত্রী হিসেবে দায়িত্ব পেয়েছেন সাইফুজ্জামান চৌধুরী|website=Odhikar |language=bn}}</ref>
In 2020, Chowdhury received the UN Public Service award for digitalising services of the Ministry of Land.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Land Ministry receives 'UN Public Service' award; minister... |url=https://unb.com.bd/category/Bangladesh/land-ministry-receives-un-public-service-award-minister-thanks-pm/52703 |access-date=2020-11-03 |work=UNB |language=English}}</ref>
On 6 August 2024, at the aftermath of 2024 non-cooperation movement, Chowdhury lost his membership at the 12th Jatiya Sangsad. Soon after, on 12 August, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) ordered all banks to freeze the accounts of Chowdhury and his wife, Rukhmila Zaman.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-12 |title=Freeze order issued on bank accounts of UCB Chairman Rukhmila, husband ex-land minister Saifuzzaman |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/economy/banking/bfiu-orders-freeze-bank-accounts-ucb-chairman-rukhmila-husband-ex-land-minister |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=The Business Standard |language=en}}</ref>
== Controversy == Chowdhury, under the leadership of his father Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu forced into the premise of United Commercial Bank with 50 to 60 armed cadres in 1999 and captured the leadership of the bank putting the directors at gunpoint.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lessons from three black chapters of the banking sector |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/opinion/op-ed/lessons-from-three-black-chapters-of-the-banking-sector|access-date=1 November 2022 |work=Prothom Alo}}</ref>
Chowdhury has at least 260 properties in the United Kingdom for which he has paid at least GBP 134.76 million or Tk 1,888 crore, according to The Daily Star's calculation from company filings publicly available on UK government websites.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Islam |first=Zyma |last2=Bhattacharjee |first2=Partha Pratim |date=2023-12-29 |title=Land Minister Javed owns at least 260 properties in the UK |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/investigative-stories/news/javed-owns-least-260-properties-the-uk-3505486 |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhattacharjee |first=Zyma Islam and Partha Pratim |date=2023-12-29 |title=Bangladesh land minister owns at least 260 properties in the UK |url=https://asianews.network/bangladesh-land-minister-owns-at-least-260-properties-in-the-uk/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=Asia News Network |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=The Bangladeshi Politician and His £200 Million UK Property Empire |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-bangladesh-land-minister-uk-property/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |work=Bloomberg.com |language=en}}</ref> He has also at least 537 mortgages against properties in the UK. A vast majority of these properties are in London. However, his tax returns, submitted along with his affidavit to the Election Commission, states that he has no foreign income. The affidavit says his annual income from business is only Tk 1.35 lakh. Although the affidavit must also reveal the annual income of dependents—like wife and children—the minister left that blank. In addition, his affidavit says that he and his wife jointly hold shares and debentures of only Tk 17.90 crore, about a hundred times less than his total known investment in UK properties. An investigative report titled ‘'''''The Minister’s Millions'''''’ was published in September 2024. Al Jazeera’s investigative team ‘I Unit’ led by Zulkarnain Saer Khan ran the investigation. It has revealed that Chowdhury has built a property empire worth at least $675 million in London, 72 of which in Tower Hamlets, Dubai and New York none of which were declared in his tax returns.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2024 |title=Al Jazeera investigates: Bangladesh politician accused of money laundering |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClFJZe80eZE |access-date=September 21, 2024 |website=YouTube |publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref>
On 12 June 2025, Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) froze more than 300 properties in the United Kingdom linked to Chowdhury. The NCA stated that it had obtained High Court orders on 5 June 2025 to freeze 342 properties with a combined purchase price of approximately £185 million.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ring |first=Suzi |last2=Reed |first2=John |date=2025-06-12 |title=UK freezes £185mn of properties linked to ex-Bangladesh minister |url=https://www.ft.com/content/53aa0057-2db4-4d0a-9459-05d30bc3c771 |access-date=2025-06-12 |work=Financial Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=UK crime agency freezes assets of disgraced Sheikh Hasina ally |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/11/uk-crime-agency-freezes-assets-of-disgraced-sheikh-hasina-ally |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}} {{commons}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chowdhury, Saifuzzaman}} Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:People from Anwara Upazila Category:Politicians from Chittagong Division Category:Government College of Commerce, Chittagong alumni Category:Awami League politicians Category:9th Jatiya Sangsad members Category:10th Jatiya Sangsad members Category:11th Jatiya Sangsad members Category:12th Jatiya Sangsad members Category:Ministers of land of Bangladesh Category:Bangladeshi exiles Category:Exiled Bangladeshi politicians