Tarique Siddique was once an officer in the Bangladesh Army. In 2001, he was dismissed from service due to corruption and irregular activities. At the time, he held the rank of Brigadier General. Later, when the Awami League came to power in 2009, he was retroactively promoted and elevated to the rank of Major General.

During this period, not only did he become consumed by vengeance, but he also became deeply involved in corruption. He transferred vast sums of money abroad and built an empire of wealth within the country. As the military affairs adviser, no one could question him. He kept himself away from the public eye and media scrutiny, much like he hid his illegal wealth.

Over the past 15 years, he held only one press conference. He kept the press and media at arm’s length - just as he concealed his illicit fortune. Investigations reveal that his wealth spans both abroad and within Bangladesh. After the fall of the Awami League government, information about his illegal wealth started surfacing. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has begun investigating the sources of his ill-gotten money.

Records show that upon retirement, Tarique Siddique had assets worth only Tk52 lakh. His ancestral property consisted solely of a portion of a house in Banani and one bigha of land. In 2009, when he became the prime minister’s military affairs adviser, his total bank deposits amounted to just Tk7,23,000.

According to rules, a person holding a government position cannot engage in business. Thus, his sole source of income was the salary and allowances associated with his advisory role, which carried the status of a minister (initially as a state minister and later a full minister). This would amount to a maximum monthly salary of Tk1,50,000. His wife had a few shell businesses, primarily used for corruption and bribery purposes. Aside from this, neither he nor his wife had any legitimate source of income.

However, following the events of 5 August, ACC officials were shocked to uncover evidence that Tarique Siddique amassed illegal assets worth Tk62,000 crore. Additionally, suspicious transactions amounting to Tk162 crore led to a case being filed against Tarique Siddique, his wife, and two children.

Investigations revealed his luxurious countryside estate “Bagan Bilash” in the Bangalgachh area of Gazipur. In the Faukal area, he established a large estate including a duplex house. Even in Dhaka’s elite neighborhoods, he owns multiple flats and plots. A flat was found on Park Street in Baridhara, and a seven-story mansion was discovered in Baridhara DOHS.

The ACC stated that these discovered assets are still less than the full extent of his wealth. The investigation continues, and more properties are being uncovered. Already, three flats in Gulshan have been identified under Tarique Siddique’s name, which he claimed to have inherited from his mother. Interestingly, these flats do not appear in his mother’s tax records.

Tarique Siddique owns a plot in Sector 7 of Purbachal. His wife, Shahin Siddique, owns three plots in Sectors 21 and 30 of the New Purbachal Town. Additionally, there is a 10-katha plot and two 5-katha plots in Sector 26. In Baridhara Model Town, they own two flats of 3,500 square feet each, one 3,000 square feet flat in Baridhara DOHS, and bank deposits totaling Tk36.66 million, including FDRs worth Tk27.5 million.

Further investigations revealed that Tarique and Shahin Siddique own 52 bighas of land in Gazipur, officially valued at Tk261.8 million. Questions arose - how could someone with a lifetime income of only Tk11 million purchase land worth Tk261 million?

After discovering this land, ACC Deputy Director Monirul Islam appealed to Dhaka’s Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib to freeze the assets. The court granted the request. The ACC noted that the Siddique couple were attempting to transfer or dispose of these properties, which could hamper the ongoing investigation. Hence, an asset freeze was essential.

However, there have been reports that despite the freeze order, Tarique Siddique managed to secretly sell off several properties. Currently residing in London, he owns a secured estate in Gazipur's Faukal area that includes a duplex home, a large pond, and plantations. He also has at least 22 bighas of land near Taksal, although only 5 bighas are officially documented.

Another estate in Bangalgachh, Gazipur, is registered under his brother Rafiq Siddique. Though officially recorded as 78 decimals, multiple sources confirm it to be ten times larger and owned by Tarique Siddique. According to the Kalaiya Land Office in Gazipur, another 2 acres and 66 decimals of land in the Tulip Territory are owned by his other brother, Shafiq Ahmed Siddique - husband of Sheikh Rehana. Although they are separated, they are not legally divorced. This estate is known locally as “Sheikh Rehana’s house,” but in reality, it was bought by Tarique Siddique, allegedly given to her as a bribe to shield his corruption from scrutiny.

The ACC confirmed that Tarique Siddique owns two estates in Gazipur, a seven-story house in Gulshan, three plots in Bashundhara, four flats and one fractional flat in Baridhara under his wife’s name, a quarter-share of another seven-story house in Gazipur, and 48 bighas of land in Narayanganj in the name of the Siddique couple.

However, there are allegations that many of these properties were secretly sold. According to the Gazipur Sub-Registrar's Office, between 5 August and 15 August, Tarique Siddique sold multiple properties under the names of his brother Rafiq Siddique’s wife and Shafiq Ahmed Siddique. Details regarding the buyers and how these transactions occurred remain unknown.

Legally, one must be physically present during a land transaction. This raises a critical question - if Tarique Siddique fled abroad on 3 August, as confirmed by evidence, how did he execute these land sales afterward?