Wednesday, 01 October, 2025
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a money laundering case against Noor Ali, a prominent Bangladeshi businessman known for his investments in hotels, real estate, and the manpower export sector, along with 13 others, over allegations of defrauding nearly Tk 41 crore from jobseekers.
The case was lodged on Sunday at Gulshan Police Station under Section 4(2)/4(4) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012, according to a CID press release. It has been assigned to the agency’s Financial Crimes Division for further investigation.
Investigators say Noor Ali, the owner of Unique Eastern (Pvt.) Limited, and his associates ran an illegal scheme that exploited thousands of Bangladeshi workers seeking overseas employment in Malaysia between 2022 and 2024.
While the government-fixed fee for manpower export stood at Tk 78,990, Noor Ali’s syndicate allegedly charged nearly double—Tk 1.5 lakh per person—under various pretexts, including passport processing, Covid-19 tests, medical checkups, and clothing expenses.
Records show that 3,787 workers were sent to Malaysia during the two-year period, allowing the group to pocket around Tk 40.71 crore in illicit gains. CID officials described the practice as a deliberate and coordinated attempt to embezzle funds, categorising it as a money laundering offence.
Noor Ali is a well-known name in Bangladesh’s corporate world. He rose to prominence through his flagship ventures in hotels and real estate, particularly in Dhaka’s luxury property market. His business group, Unique, has investments spanning tourism, energy, and manpower recruitment.
In the hospitality sector, Ali is most prominently linked with The Westin Dhaka, one of the capital’s leading five-star hotels. In real estate, he has been associated with several high-value projects under the Unique brand, catering to Dhaka’s elite.
Despite his status as a major business figure, Noor Ali has faced controversy in the past. Industry insiders have long alleged that manpower export syndicates, with backing from influential businessmen, routinely exploit migrant workers by charging exorbitant recruitment fees—an issue Bangladesh has struggled to address for decades.
Officials said the latest case could be a test of the government’s commitment to cracking down on corruption and malpractice in the manpower sector, which is a critical source of foreign remittances for the economy.
“The accused conspired to defraud jobseekers and launder the proceeds, causing financial damage to thousands of workers and their families,” the CID said in its statement.
The investigation will now determine how the alleged funds were routed, whether they were transferred abroad, and what role Noor Ali personally played in the scheme.
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The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has filed a money laundering case against Noor Ali, a prominent Bangladeshi businessman known for his investments in hotels, real estate, and the manpower export sector, along with 13 others, over allegations of defrauding nearly Tk 41 crore from jobseekers.
The case was lodged on Sunday at Gulshan Police Station under Section 4(2)/4(4) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012, according to a CID press release. It has been assigned to the agency’s Financial Crimes Division for further investigation.
Investigators say Noor Ali, the owner of Unique Eastern (Pvt.) Limited, and his associates ran an illegal scheme that exploited thousands of Bangladeshi workers seeking overseas employment in Malaysia between 2022 and 2024.
While the government-fixed fee for manpower export stood at Tk 78,990, Noor Ali’s syndicate allegedly charged nearly double—Tk 1.5 lakh per person—under various pretexts, including passport processing, Covid-19 tests, medical checkups, and clothing expenses.
Records show that 3,787 workers were sent to Malaysia during the two-year period, allowing the group to pocket around Tk 40.71 crore in illicit gains. CID officials described the practice as a deliberate and coordinated attempt to embezzle funds, categorising it as a money laundering offence.
Noor Ali is a well-known name in Bangladesh’s corporate world. He rose to prominence through his flagship ventures in hotels and real estate, particularly in Dhaka’s luxury property market. His business group, Unique, has investments spanning tourism, energy, and manpower recruitment.
In the hospitality sector, Ali is most prominently linked with The Westin Dhaka, one of the capital’s leading five-star hotels. In real estate, he has been associated with several high-value projects under the Unique brand, catering to Dhaka’s elite.
Despite his status as a major business figure, Noor Ali has faced controversy in the past. Industry insiders have long alleged that manpower export syndicates, with backing from influential businessmen, routinely exploit migrant workers by charging exorbitant recruitment fees—an issue Bangladesh has struggled to address for decades.
Officials said the latest case could be a test of the government’s commitment to cracking down on corruption and malpractice in the manpower sector, which is a critical source of foreign remittances for the economy.
“The accused conspired to defraud jobseekers and launder the proceeds, causing financial damage to thousands of workers and their families,” the CID said in its statement.
The investigation will now determine how the alleged funds were routed, whether they were transferred abroad, and what role Noor Ali personally played in the scheme.
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