Money laundering in MalaysiaNoor Ali-Noman-Bashir syndicate is still out of reach

> No one from the Noor Ali syndicate has been charged at Banani Police Station

> There are allegations of various frauds against this gang not only in Malaysia, but also in the Middle East, Singapore and Korea.

Investigative report

Noor Ali and his syndicate, the mastermind behind the fraud, embezzlement and money laundering in the export of manpower to Malaysia, remain at large. Recently, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police filed a case against 33 people, including 27 manpower exporters, at Banani Police Station on charges of money laundering. No one from the Noor Ali syndicate was named as an accused in that case.

Bayra leaders, including Bayra United Coordination Front President Mohammad Faruk, Secretary General Mustafa Mahmud, Joint Secretary General Fakrul Islam and Senior Vice President Riaz ul Islam, have been speaking out against the Noor Ali-Noman syndicate for a long time.

They said that mysteriously, not a single one of the 31 people from the Noor Ali syndicate was made an accused in the CID case.

They further said that Noor Ali is the mastermind behind the export of manpower to various countries including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, the Middle East, Singapore, and Korea. No one gets the opportunity to do any work outside his syndicate. He is also the main controller of the Malaysian syndicate. Noor Ali is also the main mastermind behind the manpower export syndicate in Korea.

Talking to former leaders of Bayra, it was learned that Noor Ali was a member of the syndicate of manpower exporters to Malaysia from 2022 to 2024. These 31 people have always been out of reach. Yet no action has been taken against them. Noor Ali and his syndicate members have taken a minimum of 1.5 lakh taka from the workers who went to Malaysia. There are allegations of taking 2 lakh to 6 lakh taka from some. Noor Ali's Unique Eastern (Pvt) Ltd. has embezzled about 1,000 crore taka by sending workers to Malaysia for a minimum of 1.5 lakh taka. Yet according to the government, they were supposed to take 78,990 taka per person.

CID-related sources say that Malaysia allowed 10 Bangladeshi recruiting agencies led by Noor Ali to send workers in 2015. These agencies came to be known as the Noor Ali syndicate or circle. The Malaysian labor market was closed in 2018 due to allegations of corruption of at least 6,000 crore taka against Noor Ali. Then, after signing a memorandum of understanding in 2021, the Malaysian government initially allowed 25 agencies to send workers. Those 25 syndicates were also under the control of Noor Ali. Later, the number of those agencies increased to 100. Noor Ali was the main controller of which.

Businessmen involved in the manpower export business said that Nur Ali, the main boss of the manpower export syndicate, bribes various organizations including the police. His name is not mentioned in the CID case due to the huge bribery transactions. For the past seven years, he has been controlling Bayra alone. He has made Dhaka District Awami League President Bezonji MP the Bayra president twice. In addition, he has made the president of Jubo League Metropolitan South the Bayra president. It has been alleged that a section of CID officials have taken a stand in his favor after receiving special benefits.

A CID official said that in November 2024, a section of Bayra members sent a letter to the then CID chief demanding action against Noor Ali and his syndicate members.

The letter alleges that the Noor Ali gang has embezzled around Tk 10,000 crore. The names of several people, including Noor Ali, former Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, former MP Nizam Hazari, Benazir Ahmed, Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Awami League leader Mohi Uddin Mohi, and others, are mentioned as members of the gang.

After that letter, the CID started an investigation. It found that many people were involved in sending workers to Malaysia to collect several times more money and acquire illegal assets. The CID has filed a case against 33 members of the syndicate under the Money Laundering Act. The case against more members is under process.

CID and those involved in the manpower export business said that the other people in the syndicate of Unique Eastern (Pvt.) Limited (RL-0021) MD Noor Ali are: Rabbi International (RL-0258) profiteer Mohammad Bashir, Damhasi Corporation (RL-0727), Amin Tour and Travels (RL-81) Ruhul Amin, Mridha International Corporation (RL-1108) Kawsar Mridha, Manispower Corporation (RL-937) Md. Mahbub Alam, Aditi International (RL-0983) Bishwajitsaha, Celebrity International (RL-0503) Md. Abdul Hai, Mohammad Afsar Uddin of Prabhati International (RL-0932), Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury Noman of Sadia International (RL-0292), Engineer Ishaq Ahmed Shakil of BNS Overseas Limited (RL-1450), Arifur Rahman of Aparajita International (RL-1318), Farid Ahmed of Al Kashem International (RL-0680), Golam Rakib of P.R. Overseas (RL-1928), Mahbub Mia of Darbar Glober Overseas (RL-1295), Shahdat Hossain of Site International (RL-0345), Md. Rafiqul Hossain, Kamran Nahar Hiramani of Rubel Bangladesh Limited (RL-1455), Md. Rafiqul Islam Patwari of Aman Enterprises (RL-0724), Mizanur Rahman of Elegants Overseas (RL-0544), Nur Mohammad Talukder of PN Enterprise Company Dhaka Limited (RL-0376), Monir Hossain of The GMG Associates Limited (RL-1143), Abdullah Shahed of Thanex International (RL-1779), ABM Shamsul Alam Kajal of Sawan Overseas (RL-0759), Md. Saiful Noor, Syed Ghulam Sarwar of Hridoy Trade International (RL-0240), Shah Imran Bhuiyan of Mansur Ali Overseas and Travels (RL-0991) and Nafisa Kamal of Orbitals International (RL-1457).

Several leaders of Bayra said that Noor Ali and his syndicate members are responsible for irregularities, fraud and chaos in the manpower export sector in Bangladesh. They are accused of various charges including extortion and human trafficking in the name of manpower export to different countries. No action has been taken against them due to Noor Ali's influence and invisibility. Noman of Dhamhasi Corporation and Bashi of Rabbi International are working as one of the associates of Noor Ali in this circle. They were in 10 syndicates in Malaysia and were also in 25 and 101 syndicates. Although they sucked the blood of workers and smuggled thousands of crores of taka abroad, no legal action has been taken against them.

They further said that not only is Noor Ali, the leader of the syndicate, not only exporting manpower, but he has also occupied the land of the City Corporation and established Sheraton Hotel, Westin Hotel in Gulshan, power plants in Ashuganj and Meghna Ghat, resorts and business establishments in various places. He has laundered thousands of crores of taka from three countries. However, no visible legal action is being taken against him.

Bayra leaders also said that recently the CID submitted a final report to the court in the human trafficking and extortion case. There, the CID clearly stated that no evidence of human trafficking and extortion was found in Malaysia. But even then, a case was filed against 33 people at Banani Police Station on charges of money laundering. Those concerned expressed surprise at the two types of investigations by the same agency. Some of them alleged that the Noor Ali gang had filed cases against their rival businessmen by paying huge bribes. However, the CID says that the investigation into the matter is ongoing.

CID Special Police Superintendent (Media) Jasim Uddin Khan said, "A case has been filed against a money laundering syndicate in Malaysia. Further investigation is underway. After the investigation, several more cases are under process."

Assistant Superintendent of Police Al-Mamun of the CID's Financial Crime Unit said, "An investigation is underway against 100 agencies involved in sending workers to Malaysia through a syndicate, including Noor Ali, to collect money beyond the stipulated fee. Their illegal assets in the country and abroad will be searched. The assistance of the BFIU is being sought. After the case, assistance will be sought through Interpol to arrest the fugitives."