Prashanta Kumar Halder

Prashanta Kumar Halder, also known as PK Halder, is a Bangladeshi-Canadian banker who is a fugitive and wanted in Bangladesh for embezzlement of more than 102 billion taka, one of the biggest cases in Bangladesh.[1] The Daily Star called him the "Sultan of Swindle".[2] It is believed he laundered 35 billion taka out of Bangladesh.[3]

Career

In 2008, Halder was made the Deputy Managing Director of Industrial and Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited.[1]

Halder became the managing director of Reliance Finance Limited in 2009.[1]

In July 2015, Halder was appointed the managing director of NRB Global Bank (later rebranded Global Islami Bank).[1][4]

Halder owned HAL international, whose director, Swapan Kumar Mistri, was a director of International Leasing and Financial Services Limited.[1] Mistri's wife was the chairperson of Mutual Trust Bank Limited Marine.[1] Uttam Kumar Mistri, Swapan's brother, and his wife, Atoshi Mridha, embezzled nearly 800 million taka from International Leasing and Financial Services Limited through a fake company called Kolasin[1] From 2015 to 2019, Amitav Adhikari, Halder's cousin, was a director of People's Leasing And Financial Services Limited, and Uzzal Kumar Nandi, his former colleague, was the chairperson of People's Leasing And Financial Services Limited.[1] They helped Halder embezzle millions from People's Leasing And Financial Services Limited.[1][2] Halder than became chairman of People's Leasing And Financial Services Limited.[1]

Investigations started against Halder in 2019 after a number of raids on illegal casinos in Dhaka.[5]

According to Bangladesh Bank in 2020, Halder had stolen 15 billion taka from International Leasing and Financial Services Limited, 22 billion from FAS Finance & Investment Limited, 30 billion from People's Leasing And Financial Services Limited, and 25 billion taka from Reliance Finance Limited.[1] He was being investigated by Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit and the Anti Corruption Commission.[1]

In March 2020, Halder fled to India from Bangladesh through Benapole one hour before a travel ban was issued against him.[5] From there he fled to Canada of which he is a citizen.[5] He owns P&L Hal Holding Incorporated in Canada, which was founded on 3 July 2014.[5][6][7]

In December 2020, Halder's properties in Dhaka were seized by the Anti Corruption Commission.[8] He also owned Aziz Fibre Jute Control, Northern Jute Manufacturing Company Limited, Rahman Chemicals, and Simtex Industries.[9] His cousin, Amitabh Adhikari, left his admin cadre job at Bangladesh Civil Service and joined two of the companies.[9]

In January 2021, his associate NI Khan was ordered by a court to not leave Bangladesh which was later revoked on appeal.[10] Anti Corruption Commission called 14 associates of Halder to their office for investigation in the laundering by Halder in February 2021.[11] On 5 April 2021, Halder was sued by Abdul Alim, majority owner of Clewiston Foods and Accommodation which had agreements with Radisson Blue to establish a hotel in Cox's Bazar.[12] According to Alim Halder demanded majority share of his company in 2014 in return for approving his loan.[12] Halder's associate, Pritish Kumar Sarker, and managing director of FAS Finance & Investment Limited was prevented from leaving Bangladesh by Bangladesh Bank.[13] Halder refused to return to Bangladesh despite a court order.[14]

In November 2021, Anti Corruption Commission filled charges against Halder and his associates including his brother Pritish Kumar Halder.[15]

References
  1. Khan, Mahbubur Rahman (2020-09-27). "Swindle by PK Halder: So far, it is Tk 10,200cr". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  2. Khan, Mahbubur Rahman (2020-08-23). "Sultan of swindle". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  3. Tayeb, Tasneem (2020-09-02). "PK Halder and the incredible landscape of our financial system". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  4. "NRB Global Bank turns Global Islami Bank". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  5. Staff Correspondent (2021-03-02). "PK Halder beat them by an hour". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  6. "P & L HAL HOLDING INC. | Canada Corporation Directory". www.canadacompanyregistry.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  7. "P & L HAL HOLDING INC. ยท 16 Deanecrest Road, Toronto, ON M9B 5W4". opengovca.com. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  8. Staff Correspondent (2021-01-11). "PK Halder's Tk 3,500cr Scam: ACC summons four high-ups of People's Leasing". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  9. Staff Correspondent. "'PK Halder found involved in more business scams'". Prothomalo. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  10. "AD stays HC ban on NI Khan's foreign travel". New Age | The Most Popular Outspoken English Daily in Bangladesh. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  11. Report, Star Online (2021-02-04). "ACC summons 14 aides of PK Halder in connection with money laundering". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  12. Staff Correspondent; Ctg (2021-04-05). "PK Halder among five sued in Ctg". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  13. Uddin, AKM Zamir (2021-06-07). "BB stops FAS Finance MD's US trip". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  14. Staff Correspondent (2020-10-27). "ACC to seek contempt order against PK Halder". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
  15. "ACC approves chargesheet against PK Halder". The Business Standard. 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
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