In the widely talked-about goat scandal, former National Board of Revenue (NBR) member Matiur Rahman and his first wife, former Upazila Chairman Layla Kaniz, have been arrested.
A team from the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested the couple late on Tuesday night, January 14, in the Basundhara area of Dhaka.
The arrest was confirmed by Muhammad Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the Media and Public Relations Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
However, the DC did not provide specific details regarding the case they were arrested for, though it is known that the couple faces multiple charges. The latest charges came on January 6, when the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed three cases against them, accusing Matiur Rahman, Layla Kaniz, and their children of amassing illegal assets worth 124 crore taka and concealing these assets.
In one of the cases, both Layla Kaniz and Matiur Rahman are named as defendants. The case claims that Layla Kaniz accumulated assets worth 13 crore 1 lakh 58 thousand taka beyond her known income and hid information about 1 crore 53 lakh taka in illegal assets.
The second case accuses their daughter, Farzana Rahman, of hiding 2 crore 45 lakh taka and amassing over 53 crore 41 lakh taka in illegal assets. Matiur Rahman is named as an accomplice in this case.
The third case involves their son, Ahmed Toufiqur Rahman Arnav, from Matiur’s first marriage. He is accused of concealing information about 13 crore 38 lakh taka in assets and acquiring 42 crore 22 lakh taka in illegal assets. Matiur Rahman is also named as an accomplice here.
Earlier, on December 15, two cases were filed against Matiur Rahman and his second wife, Shammi Akhter Shibly, for acquiring illegal assets worth 11 crore 18 lakh 86 thousand 120 taka and concealing their asset details.
In the first of those cases, Matiur Rahman is accused of possessing assets worth 5 crore 28 lakh 75 thousand 939 taka beyond his known income and hiding information about assets worth 1 crore 27 lakh 66 thousand 216 taka.
In the second case, Shammi Akhter Shibly, Matiur’s second wife, is accused of illegally acquiring 1 crore 87 lakh 15 thousand 490 taka and concealing information about 2 crore 75 lakh 28 thousand 475 taka worth of assets. The allegations are made under sections 27(1) and 26(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004.
The scandal first gained attention when a young man named Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat bought a goat worth 15 lakh taka for sacrificial purposes, sparking a storm of discussion on social media. It was revealed that his father, Matiur Rahman, was an NBR member and the President of the Customs, Excise, and VAT Appellate Tribunal.
As the controversy unfolded, more details about Matiur Rahman and his family’s wealth started to emerge. Investigations into their unexplained assets revealed a lavish lifestyle, including 65 bighas of land, eight flats, two resorts, and three industrial establishments. The Anti-Corruption Commission also froze their bank accounts, mobile financial service accounts, and stock market accounts.
On June 24, the court imposed a travel ban on Matiur Rahman, his first wife, and their children.
Subsequently, on July 2, the ACC issued notices to Matiur and his family members, requesting a full account of their assets. In response, on August 29, Matiur Rahman, his two wives, and their children submitted the details of their assets to the ACC.
 member Matiur Rahman and his first wife, former Upazila Chairman Layla Kaniz, have been arrested.){kind=link}