Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, a suspended director of the Department of Immigration and Passports, and his wife, Shahan Ara, jointly own 14 flats and properties worth around Tk 500 million in the capital alone. Investigations have also found information about substantial properties purchased in Mamun’s home district of Tangail and his in-laws’ area in Morelganj, Bagerhat. An investigation by Asia Post has uncovered these details.
The Ministry of Home Affairs suspended Abdullah Al Mamun from his government job in April 2025. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed two cases against him over allegations of illegally acquiring wealth and issuing a passport to former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed in violation of regulations.
Who Is Abdullah Al Mamun?
Abdullah Al Mamun joined the Department of Immigration and Passports as an assistant director in May 2004. He began his career by serving in Cumilla and Noakhali. After the Awami League came to power for a second consecutive term in 2014, he emerged as an influential official, according to several employees of the department’s headquarters.
There have also been allegations that Mamun’s influence grew under the patronage of then State Minister for Home Affairs and later Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal. In 2019, Mamun was promoted to the position of director. In June of that year, he took charge as director of the Agargaon passport office in Dhaka. He remained in the position until the fall of the Awami League government and allegedly amassed substantial wealth during his tenure.
Several officials of the Department of Immigration and Passports, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mamun would visit the then home minister’s official residence in Dhanmondi 5 at least twice a week in the evenings.
After August 5, Mamun was transferred to Sylhet. While serving as director of the Sylhet divisional passport office, he was temporarily suspended on April 27, 2025. The ACC filed two cases against him on the same day.
14 Flats in Dhaka
The investigation found at least 10 flats registered in Mamun’s name and another four in the name of his wife, Shahan Ara, in different parts of the capital. The properties are located in Dhanmondi, Elephant Road, Hazaribagh, Mohammadpur, Katasur, Bashundhara and Joar Sahara.
The flats were purchased through registered sale deeds at various sub-registrar offices between 2005 and 2021. An analysis of nine deeds obtained during the investigation found documented evidence of flats measuring more than 10,791 square feet in total registered in Mamun’s name.
Mamun owns a 2,251-square-foot flat at House No. 77 on Road 11/A in Dhanmondi. He also owns a 980-square-foot flat at House No. 50 on North Road in the same area and another 1,000-square-foot flat at Holding No. 220 on New Elephant Road. Based on current market prices, the three flats are worth around Tk 110 million.
In Charamohanpur of Hazaribagh, Mamun owns two 1,400-square-foot flats. Their estimated current market value is around Tk 30 million.
In Mohammadpur’s Katasur area, he owns two 1,100-square-foot flats and another 760-square-foot flat in Chand Housing. The three flats are estimated to be worth around Tk 40 million.
Mamun also owns a flat at the ‘Holy Arnab’ building on Road 4 in Block F of Bashundhara Residential Area. The flat is estimated to be worth around Tk 10 million.
The investigation also found that Mamun jointly purchased a 20-katha plot in Ibrahimpur. Eighteen people jointly developed a multi-storey building on the land.
Substantial Properties in Wife’s Name
Mamun’s wife, Shahan Ara, also owns several flats in Dhanmondi, Mohammadpur, Katasur and Joar Sahara.
She owns a flat on Road 4 in Dhanmondi, estimated to be worth around Tk 50 million. In Katasur, she has another flat valued at around Tk 20 million. A further flat in the Mohammadpur mouza is worth more than Tk 15 million.
She also owns another flat in a building constructed on a plot in Joar Sahara, estimated to be worth around Tk 20 million.
An analysis of the deeds and documents obtained during the investigation shows that in several cases, Mamun purchased properties in the same areas in his own name and in his wife’s name during the same period.
Tk 178.85 Million in Bank Accounts
The investigation found five bank accounts belonging to Mamun at four banks. An analysis of transaction statements up to June 15 of the current year showed that two accounts at Islami Bank contained Tk 161,788,434 and Tk 14,861,086, respectively.
In addition, Mamun had Tk 2,070,303 in an account at Trust Bank, Tk 133,967 at Sonali Bank and Tk 2,663 at Janata Bank.
Altogether, the five accounts contained Tk 178,856,853.
Several sources have claimed that Mamun also has substantial fixed deposits (FDRs) in the names of relatives at different banks. However, no specific documentary evidence supporting the claim could be obtained.
Authorities Decline Comment, Mamun Remains Silent
The scale of Mamun’s assets appears inconsistent with his official salary and allowances. Asia Post sought comments from the Department of Immigration and Passports regarding his wealth, but the authorities declined to make an official statement, citing his current suspension.
However, several sources within the department said Mamun has been lobbying intensively to have his suspension order withdrawn and return to his post.
Asia Post contacted Abdullah Al Mamun for his comments on the allegations of acquiring substantial wealth. Asked how he accumulated such assets during his 20-year government career, he declined to comment.
However, he did not deny owning substantial property.