INTRUDERS ON THE TOP FLOOR

” An Open Letter from a Founder Sponsor of NRBC Bank to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the UK National Crime Agency, and the United States Department of Justice ”

By Sunahwar Ali

PART ONE:
WE BUILT THIS BANK
NRBC Bank was not a gift. It was not a favour from the powerful.
It was built— brick by brick, pound by taka, hope by hope— by founder sponsors who believed in something.
We believed that the Bangladeshi diaspora deserved a bank they could trust. We believed that integrity, transparency, and service could triumph over the old culture of corruption and nepotism.
We poured our capital, our reputation, and our sweat into this institution.
I am proud to have been among those founders.
Today,
I write not with pride but with pain.
Not with anger but with evidence.
Not as an enemy of NRBC Bank but as a father watching his child be destroyed by intruders.

PART TWO: WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR BANK
In March 2025, Bangladesh Bank finally dissolved the corrupt board of NRBC Bank. For those of us who had spent years exposing benami loans, capital flight, and a 467+ crore loan scam, this was a welcome step — long overdue, but welcome.

A new Independent Chairman, Md. Ali Hossain Prodhania, was appointed.
A new Managing Director, Dr. Md. Touhidul Alam Khan, took charge.
We hoped for reform.
We got window dressing.

PART THREE:
THE ROT REMAINS
The same corrupted management team—the so-called “Manhattan team” that presided over hundreds of crores in fraudulent loans —is still in place. They still run daily operations. They still control the levers of power inside our bank.
The only thing that changed was the signboard.
The Independent Chairman and MD have removed nobody from the inside. They have cleaned nothing. They have investigated nothing.
They have simply put new faces on top of the old rot and declared victory.
This is not reform.
This is a costume change.

PART FOUR:
NO COMMUNICATION.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY.
NO RESPECT.
And then there is the silence.
The new leadership has created zero lines of communication with innocent founder sponsors.
Emails are ignored and blocked.
Letters go unanswered. Phone calls are not returned.
But here is the most insulting evidence of their bad faith:
They send me one-way promotional SMS messages.
“Happy anniversary,” they say.
“Warm greetings from the Managing Director,”
they write.
But the SMS comes from a short code that cannot receive replies.
Think about that.
They have my phone number. They have my email address. They have my name. They have the technology to reach out whenever they want—but only on their terms, only for their image, only to pretend that everything is fine.
When I try to reply?
Silence.
Blocked. Rejected.
A bank that can send “happy anniversary” can answer a founder sponsor’s question about a 467 crore fraud. Their refusal to do so is not a technical limitation.
It is a deliberate choice.

PART FIVE: THIRD-CLASS CITIZENS IN OUR OWN HOUSE
Here is the truth that cuts deepest:
We are treated as third-class citizens in the bank we founded.
The intruders sit on the top floor. They occupy the chairs we paid for.
They send us greeting cards from our own living room.
And when we knock on our own front door, they pretend not to hear.
We are not beggars.
We are not outsiders.
We are the founders.
But the new Chairman and MD behave as if we are trespassers in our own home.

PART SIX:
THE AWAMI LEAGUE SYNDICATE—A POLITICAL OPERATION, NOT JUST A BANK SCANDAL
This is not merely a bank fraud. This is a political heist— orchestrated by sitting and former officeholders of the Awami League, operating across three continents.
The individuals named in this letter are not rogue bankers. They are political operatives who used NRBC Bank as their personal treasury, protected by the Awami League regime.

The Political Chain of Command
Level Person Political Position Criminal Role
USA Wing Farasat Ali Former Vice-President, USA Awami League Money laundering conduit; $3.7M Dubai-US transaction
Bangladesh Wing (Sylhet)Toufique Rahman Chowdhury Current Vice-Chairman, Sylhet District Awami League Tk 64 crore disguised loans; sponsor shareholder
Bangladesh Wing (Central) Mohammad Adnan Imam Awami League patron (UK citizen) Tk 28+ crore loans;
stock manipulation; travel ban
Bangladesh Wing (Central) SM Parvez Tamal Awami League-connected Current Chairman; brought gunman to board meeting
Nominee/Laundry ABM Abdul Mannan Awami League-linked nominee Tk 68 crore share scam;
now in USA

Farasat Ali:
The USA Awami League Money Man
Farasat Ali is not a minor player. He served as Vice-President of the USA Awami League—a senior position in the overseas wing of Bangladesh’s then-ruling party. In that role, he was responsible for mobilizing the diaspora, raising funds, and maintaining political networks in America.
Now, he stands accused of being a key node in the NRBC Bank money laundering network:
·$3.7 million funneled from Dubai to the United States through accounts connected to Farasat Ali
·Direct connection to the ABM Abdul Mannan share sale scandal—
Tk 68 crore in restricted shares sold through the Dhaka Stock Exchange
·Potential use of US bank accounts and assets to launder proceeds from NRBC Bank’s 467+ crore fraud
The US government must ask:
How did a senior USA Awami League official become entangled in a Bangladesh bank fraud?
Where did the money come from?
Where did it go?

Toufique Rahman Chowdhury:
The Sylhet Awami League Power Broker
Toufique Rahman Chowdhury holds the position of Vice-president of the Sylhet District Awami League—a powerful political role in one of Bangladesh’s most influential regions.
From this political perch, he allegedly participated in the NRBC Bank looting:
·Named in board meeting minutes and internal enquiry reports as a recipient of Tk 64 crore in disguised loans
·Loans taken through companies including Pubali Construction, NES Trading, VOSD, Lanta Services, and Ornita Agro
·All without disclosure of directors’ affiliations—a classic benami loan structure
The Bangladesh government must ask:
How did the Vice-president of Sylhet Awami League secure tens of crores in undisclosed loans from a bank he helped control?
Who approved these loans? Who looked the other way?

Mohammad Adnan Imam: The UK-Based Awami League Patron
Mohammad Adnan Imam is a UK citizen who served as the former Executive Committee Chairman of NRBC Bank.
He is currently under active investigation by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for stock market manipulation and money laundering.
A Dhaka court has already imposed a travel ban on him.
The allegations against Adnan Imam are extensive:
·Disguised loans: Tk 28 crore in the names of NES Trading
(Tk 19 crore) and Pubali Construction
(Tk 9 crore), plus Tk 3 crore for Ornita Agro Industries
·Forgery: Submitted a bill of Tk 1 crore against actual expenses of only Tk 56 lakh for interior work through his company, Adrita Trading
·Related party loans:
NES Trading is owned by Adnan and his London-based business partner and brother-in-law
·Stock manipulation: Specifically cited in the ACC’s petition to the Dhaka court

ABM Abdul Mannan:
The Nominee in America
ABM Abdul Mannan, a founder of NRBC Bank, is currently residing in the United States. He is at the center of the share sale scandal that the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) is actively investigating.
The allegations:
·Money laundering offences:
A Bangladesh Bank investigation explicitly stated that Mannan’s shares were “seizable and restricted for sale due to its link to money laundering offence”
·Suspicious share sale:
Sold over 44.9 million shares through the Dhaka Stock Exchange’s block market on October 31, 2023, at Tk 15.20 per share— nearly Tk 68 crore (approximately $8 million USD)
·False ownership declaration:
Did not personally finance the shares; funds were deposited by another individual (Shahidul Ahsan) who also withdrew dividends on his behalf
·Dubai to US money trail: Approximately $3.7 million funneled from Dubai into Mannan’s account

PART SEVEN: THE BANK AS A POLITICAL WEAPON—THE JULY 2024 INSTRUCTION
During the July–August 2024 student movement—a historic uprising demanding quota reform and justice—the Awami League regime showed its true face.
And NRBC Bank was not a bystander.
It was an active participant in suppressing the voice of the people.
I have obtained a directive sent by NRBC Bank’s Human Resources Division on 18 July 2024— signed “On behalf of the Managing Director”—human Reshorch, sub-branch, and division of the bank.
The Exact Wording of the Instruction
“The employees of NRBC Bank are being instructed not to be involved in any kind of anti quota movement which is going on throughout the country for last few days.
In this regard, all are being advised to restrain themselves from making or sharing any facebook post or any kind of information, making any comments relating to the anti quota movement on social media.
If any violation of the above instructions are found, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken as per HR Policy of the bank.”
What This Proves
Fact Implication
The instruction came from the Managing Director’s office The highest level of bank management was involved
It was sent to every branch and division A bank-wide political directive, not an isolated action
It banned any Facebook post, comment, or sharing about the student movement A complete gag order on employees’ free speech
It threatened disciplinary action for violations Employees were terrified into silence
The date:
18 July 2024 The height of the student movement
The Political Meaning
This is not a bank protecting its “neutrality.”
This is a bank acting as an arm of the Awami League regime —using its corporate power to silence employees who might support student protesters.

The Awami League syndicate inside NRBC Bank did not just steal money. They used the bank to:

· Intimidate employees into political submission
· Block dissent against the regime
· Act as a corporate enforcer for a political party

The Smoking Gun Question

Why would a commercial bank care if its employees supported a student movement?

Why did the Managing Director’s office issue a nationwide gag order?

Who instructed the MD to send this directive — and what political pressure was applied?

The answer is clear: NRBC Bank was captured by the Awami League syndicate so completely that it became a tool of political repression.

The Current Leadership’s Silence

The new Independent Chairman and MD have never addressed this directive. They have never apologized. They have never investigated who issued it or why.

They keep the same management team in place — the same team that silenced employees during the student movement.

This is not reform. This is continuity of the same political machine.

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PART EIGHT: THE PAYROLL PROTECTION RACKET

The Awami League syndicate did not just install their people in management. They put them on their payroll — not the bank’s.

This is the key to understanding why the new Independent Chairman and MD refuse to remove the management team, and why they refuse to communicate with innocent sponsors.

How It Works

Layer Who Paid By Loyal To
Political masters Farasat Ali, Toufique Chowdhury, Adnan Imam Awami League network / laundered money The syndicate
Management team (”Manhattan team”) Unknown names (on record) The syndicate’s hidden payroll The syndicate, not the bank
Independent Chairman & MD Prodhania, Dr. Khan Bank (officially) but compromised Unknown — but they keep syndicate’s team in place
Innocent sponsors Sunahwar Ali and others Their own honest money The bank’s founding vision

What This Means

The management team is not serving the bank. They are serving their real employers — the Awami League syndicate — who pay them secretly, possibly through offshore accounts, benami companies, or laundered funds.

This explains:

1. Why they won’t leave — They are not waiting for reform. They are waiting for orders from their real bosses.
2. Why the new Chairman and MD won’t remove them — Either they are complicit, or they are afraid of what the management team knows.
3. Why there is no communication with innocent sponsors — The syndicate’s payroll soldiers have been ordered to lock out the real owners.

The Smoking Gun Question

If the management team is loyal to the bank, why do they refuse to speak to the bank’s founder sponsors?

If the Chairman and MD are independent, why do they keep a management team that is clearly on someone else’s payroll?

Who is paying the “Manhattan team” — and where is that money coming from?

—

PART NINE: APPEAL TO THE UK NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY (NCA)

The corruption inside NRBC Bank is not just a Bangladesh problem. It is a UK problem.

Money laundered from Bangladeshi banks flows into London’s property market, British bank accounts, and the UK’s financial system. The victims are not just Bangladeshi depositors — they are the British public, who become unknowing hosts to stolen wealth.

I formally appeal to the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) to investigate the following individuals:

Mohammad Adnan Imam (UK Citizen)

· Former Executive Committee Chairman, NRBC Bank
· Subject of ACC investigation and travel ban in Bangladesh
· Alleged Tk 28+ crore disguised loans and stock manipulation

Toufique Rahman Chowdhury

· Sponsor shareholder with UK connections
· Alleged participant in Tk 64 crore disguised loan scheme

Why the NCA Must Act Now

The NCA has already demonstrated its capacity to act against Bangladeshi corruption:

· Freezing £170 million of properties belonging to former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed
· Freezing £90 million of assets belonging to Shayan Rahman and Shariar Rahman of the Beximco Group
· An aggregate £250 million in asset freezes targeting laundered money from Bangladesh

The infrastructure for cooperation exists. I urge the NCA to expand its investigation to include the NRBC Bank network — starting with Adnan Imam, a UK citizen.

—

PART TEN: APPEAL TO THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT (DOJ, DHS, SEC)

The corruption has reached American soil. Several key individuals are US citizens or US residents who have used American bank accounts and assets.

I formally appeal to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) , Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) , and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) :

Farasat Ali (US Citizen) — Former Vice-President, USA Awami League

A senior official of a foreign political party’s American wing is alleged to have been involved in moving $3.7 million from Dubai to the United States as part of a Bangladesh bank fraud. If true, this constitutes:

· Money laundering under 18 U.S.C. § 1956
· Wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343
· Potential violations of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)
· Possible bank fraud conspiracy

Sarwar Zaman Chowdhury (US Citizen/Resident)

The US government must investigate whether Sarwar Zaman Chowdhury has received or facilitated the transfer of laundered money from NRBC Bank through the American financial system.

Tohel Ahmed (US Citizen/Resident)

The US government must investigate whether US bank accounts under Tohel Ahmed’s control have been used to move or hide stolen funds from NRBC Bank.

ABM Abdul Mannan (US Resident)

The US government must investigate the $3.7 million Dubai-to-US transaction and Mannan’s role as a nominee shareholder in the Tk 68 crore share scandal.

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PART ELEVEN: MY DEMANDS — CLEAR, JUST, AND UNAVOIDABLE

First: All Awami League syndicate-linked sponsors must be blacklisted and permanently removed — including Toufique Rahman Chowdhury (Sylhet Awami League Vice-Chairman), Farasat Ali (former VP, USA Awami League), Mohammad Adnan Imam, SM Parvez Tamal, and all others named in investigations.

Second: The entire corrupted management team — the “Manhattan team” on the syndicate’s payroll — must be removed immediately pending a full forensic investigation.

Third: The Independent Chairman and Managing Director must immediately restore open, two-way communication with all innocent founder sponsors. No more blocked emails. No more one-way SMS. No more silent walls.

Fourth: A full transparency report must be published, naming every individual in management who approved fraudulent loans — and their political patrons in the Awami League syndicate.

Fifth: The UK National Crime Agency must investigate Mohammad Adnan Imam, Toufique Rahman Chowdhury, and other Awami League syndicate members for money laundering and freeze their UK assets.

Sixth: The United States Department of Justice, Homeland Security Investigations, and SEC must investigate Farasat Ali (former VP, USA Awami League), Sarwar Zaman Chowdhury, Tohel Ahmed, and ABM Abdul Mannan for money laundering, wire fraud, and violations of US securities laws.

Seventh: The Bangladesh government must formally request mutual legal assistance from the USA and UK to trace, freeze, and repatriate all assets stolen through the NRBC Bank Awami League syndicate.

Eighth: A full forensic audit must be conducted to determine who is paying the management team — not just their official bank salaries, but any hidden compensation, offshore accounts, or benefits provided by syndicate members. Any manager found to be on the syndicate’s payroll must be criminally prosecuted.

Ninth: A full public inquiry must be conducted into how sitting Awami League officeholders — including the Vice-Chairman of Sylhet District Awami League and the former Vice-President of USA Awami League — were able to loot a bank for years without consequence.

Tenth: A full investigation must be conducted into the 18 July 2024 directive issued by NRBC Bank’s Managing Director’s office. Every manager who approved, drafted, or distributed this political gag order must be identified and removed from the banking sector permanently. The bank must issue a public apology for using its corporate power to suppress employees’ constitutional rights during the student movement.

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PART TWELVE: AN APPEAL TO PRIME MINISTER TARIQUE RAHMAN

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, you have made anti-corruption the defining mandate of your leadership.

This case — NRBC Bank — is a defining test of that mandate.

Here you have:

· A bank built by honest diaspora founders
· Captured by an Awami League syndicate of political operatives
· Including the current Vice-Chairman of Sylhet District Awami League
· Including the former Vice-President of USA Awami League
· Including UK citizens and US residents
· With a management team on the syndicate’s payroll
· That issued a nationwide gag order silencing employees during the July 2024 student movement
· Given a cosmetic “reform” that changes nothing inside
· Now run by leaders who refuse to speak to the very people who created the institution

If this is not corruption, what is?

If this is not a failure of governance, what is?

If this is not window dressing, what is?

I appeal to you directly: Act decisively.

Blacklist the corrupt sponsors. Remove the tainted management team — especially those on the syndicate’s payroll. Order the Independent Chairman and MD to open genuine dialogue with innocent founders — or replace them with people who will.

Investigate the July 2024 gag order as evidence of bank-sponsored political repression.

And instruct Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies to fully cooperate with the UK National Crime Agency and the United States Department of Justice to ensure that every taka stolen from NRBC Bank is traced, frozen, and returned — whether it is hidden in London, New York, or Texas.

The hardworking people of London, Dhaka, and Sylhet did not build NRBC Bank to watch it be destroyed by intruders wearing new titles and old habits.

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PART THIRTEEN: A FINAL WORD TO THE INTRUDERS

To the Chairman and MD who sit on our roof but refuse to speak to our floor:

You are not owners. You are stewards. And you have failed in your stewardship.

Window dressing does not fool anyone. One-way SMS does not constitute communication. Keeping a corrupt management team on the syndicate’s payroll in place is not reform — it is complicity.

You have a choice today:

Open the doors. Clean the inside. Speak to the founders who built this bank.

Or be remembered as the people who finished what the fraudsters started.

—

CONCLUSION: SIGNED IN HOPE, NOT DESPAIR

I sign this letter not as an enemy of NRBC Bank, but as a founder who still believes in what it could be.

I have fought racism in Tower Hamlets. I have fought injustice in Sylhet. I have fought corruption in Dhaka. I do not stop fighting because the enemy now wears a suit and sits in a chair I paid for.

We will win. Because the truth is on our side.

And the truth is simple:

Farasat Ali ran the USA Awami League. Toufique Rahman Chowdhury runs the Sylhet Awami League today. Together, with Adnan Imam and others, they built a syndicate inside NRBC Bank — and looted hundreds of crores.

They installed a management team on their payroll — paid soldiers who occupy the bank’s offices, control its operations, and silence its owners.

When students rose up against the Awami League regime in July 2024, that same management team issued a nationwide gag order — threatening employees with disciplinary action if they supported the movement.

The new Chairman and MD keep these same people in place. They refuse to speak to innocent founders. They send one-way SMS messages while the syndicate’s loot sits in London and America.

This is not reform. This is a criminal enterprise wearing a new signboard — one that once silenced a student movement and now silences its own founders.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman: Dismantle the syndicate. Remove their paid management team. Freeze their assets. Open the lines of communication. Investigate the July 2024 gag order.

The people of Bangladesh are watching. The diaspora is watching. The world is watching.

Sunahwar Ali, Founder Sponsor, NRBC Bank PLC, Former Chief Whip, Tower Hamlets Council, Anti-Racism, Anti-Injustice, Anti, Corruption & Equality Campaigner, London – Dhaka – Sylhet