Candidate affidavit: Razzaque, who had no cash 5yrs ago, now has over 48L

Awami League Presidium Member and Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, who did not have any money in cash during the 11th parliamentary election, now has Tk48,72,603, according to his affidavit submitted for the 12th national polls.

Apart from this, rent from his house, apartment, shop and other establishments has increased three-fold.

However, there is no money under his wife’s name, as mentioned in the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission. In the affidavit submitted before the last election, his wife, Shirin Akhter Banu, had Tk1,15,500.

According to the affidavit, his income from shares/savings/bank deposits has increased–he earns Tk79,325 annually from these sources. 

His savings in the bank have also increased. Before the 10th election, there was Tk3,00,000 in his bank account. Prior to the 11th election, the amount had increased to Tk81,66,020. 

This time, the amount has increased to Tk1,06,74,806.

However, before the 11th election, the agriculture minister and his wife had savings certificates in various banks, but FDR was not mentioned in the affidavit submitted for the upcoming polls. 

Ahead of the 11th election, there was five bhoris of gold in the name of the wife, but this time, they have no gold. 

As immovable assets of the minister, ownership of one-fourth of a five-storey residential building in Sector No 3 in Mirpur, a flat in Lalmatia, has been mentioned.

There was no mention of any income in the employment column in the affidavit for the 11th parliamentary election. However, in the “other” column, honorarium as a member of parliament is mentioned as Tk6,60,000, other tax-free income as a member of parliament is Tk19,26,975 and income from fisheries is Tk4,62,320, but in the affidavit for the 12th election, he did not mention anything in other boxes. 

However, in the column of employment, taxable income and tax-exempt income have been mentioned as Tk30,68,356.

Apart from this, the agriculture minister mentioned his profession as a retired chief scientific officer in the affidavit for the 11th national parliament elections, but he mentioned his profession as politics in the 12th and 10th national parliament elections.