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The National Board of Revenue’s (NBR) Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) and Income Tax Intelligence and Investigation Unit (ITIIU) have found substantial assets, businesses and financial transactions in Canada linked to Sheikh Nur Islam, father-in-law of content creator Salman Muqtadir.
The findings concerning Sheikh Nur Islam and his family emerged from a review of around 163 financial documents covering nearly a decade.
According to intelligence sources, the financial activities of Sheikh Nur Islam and his family members from April 2012 to April 2022 were analysed. The documents reportedly contain evidence of a dozen irregularities, including at least 17 suspicious transactions involving suspicious transaction reports (STRs), large cash transactions (CTRs), electronic fund transfers (EFTs) and international money transfers.
The investigation report names Sheikh Nur Islam, his wife Sheela Islam and their two daughters, Disha Islam, Salman Muqtadir’s wife, and Tasnim Islam. The documents state that all four family members have Canadian permanent residency or citizenship and are associated with several profitable businesses there.
According to the documents, the family members are directors of Sheikh Nur Management Incorporated. Sheikh Nur Islam is also listed as a director and president of 1771069 Ontario Incorporated. His occupation is described as real estate management, while he is also identified as the owner of the Zum Zum Pizza business.
The documents also show Sheela Islam’s involvement in the business and management of Domino’s Pizza. Disha Islam, Salman Muqtadir’s wife, is listed as working at Sun Life in Canada as an investment adviser and segregated fund analyst. She is also mentioned as a student at York University. Another family member, Tasnim Islam, is identified as a Canadian citizen and a student at York University.
The intelligence report puts the family members’ combined financial transactions at around C$5,089,629. Transactions in British pounds, Singapore dollars, Thai baht and US dollars were also found.
In addition to business and bank accounts, information was found on multiple personal, joint and company bank accounts held by family members in Canada. A mortgage account in Sheela Islam’s name was also identified.
Bangladesh tax records also contain information on several businesses and establishments in Sheikh Nur Islam’s name. His total assets stood at around Tk14 crore in the 2023-24 tax year and increased to around Tk104 crore in the following tax year. Around Tk95 crore of the amount was shown as remittances.
The tax records list businesses including Barsha Money Changing Centre, Barsha Dairy Farm and Barsha Fisheries, as well as his involvement as a director in various establishments, including Domino’s Pizza, Fu-Wang Bowling, Eastern Hotel and Bar, Radio Masala, Spice Television, Starbucks Café and Tim Hortons.
However, the report said the names of Sheikh Nur Management, 1771069 Ontario Incorporated in Canada, or the Dhaka-based Toss Bond warehouse were not found in Bangladesh’s tax records. The relevant documents also reportedly contain no information about Canadian citizenship.
Meanwhile, four warehouses were sealed late Thursday night over allegations of storing duty-free liquor at an ‘unauthorised’ warehouse allegedly operating under the patronage of Salman Muqtadir’s father-in-law.
Sheikh Nur Islam and his family’s financial affairs have come under renewed discussion after Salman Muqtadir’s studio was damaged in an attack on a housing project of New Guinea Properties in South Manikdi, Dhaka. However, officials concerned said the ongoing investigation into money transfers and assets in Canada is not connected to the recent incident.
