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S. Alam Group of Industries

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S.Alam Group (Bengali: এস.আলম গ্রুপ) is a Bangladeshi industrial conglomerate.[1][2] The group is under investigation by the Government of Bangladesh for financial crime and money laundering under the shelter of the ousted Sheikh Hasina government.[3]

S.Alam Group
Company typePrivate
IndustryConglomerate
Founded1985
FounderMohammad S. Alam Masud Chowdhury (Chairman)
Headquarters2119, Asadgonj, Bangladesh.,
Chittagong
,
Bangladesh
Key people
Muhammad Saiful Alam Masud Chowdhury
ProductsFood & allied products, cement, steel, power & energy, transportation, shipping, manufacturing, properties, agro, trading
Total equity140 billion BDT (1.3 billion USD)
Number of employees
200,000
Websitewww.s.alamgroupbd.com

History

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In April 2009, S. Alam purchased Oman Bangladesh Leasing and Finance Limited.[4] Md Saiful Alam Masud, chairman of S. Alam Group and First Security Islami Bank Limited, was appointed chairman of Oman Bangladesh Leasing and Finance Limited.[4]

S. Alam Group signed an agreement with SEPCO3 to construct a powerplant in Chittagong in 2013.[5] The Banshkhali power plant movement was launched to stop the construction of the Power plant.[6] Environmentalists have opposed the construction of the plant on environmental grounds.[7]

On 5 January 2015, Ekushey Television abruptly halted transmissions without any notice in most areas around Bangladesh after airing a speech by the senior vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Tarique Rahman. A sedition case was also filed as Rahman's speech was said to be "false, fabricated and instigating".[8] The chairman of Ekushey, Abdus Salam, was subsequently arrested in a case filed under the Pornography Act of 2012, as the network allegedly aired a false report on a girl in one of their programs, Ekusher Chokh.[9] Later, the channel resumed broadcasting in some areas, and resumed nationwide broadcasts over time.[10] On 25 November 2015, a media release issued by Ekushey Television stated that S. Alam Group of Industries had acquired Ekushey, in an auction on 8 October.[11][12]

S. Alam Group bought 50 per cent of the shares of Social Islami Bank Limited through 19 subsidiaries violating the Banking Company Act, 1991 in the process in 2017 achieving a hostile takeover.[1] The same year the company took over Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd and appointed Arastoo Khan chairman.[13] The takeover of Islami Bank started in 2013 and was supported by the Awami League government as it was linked with the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.[14] According to New Age, S. Alam Group had taken 300 billion taka loans from Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd which was denied by the bank.[15][16] The Minister of Finance, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, announced an investigation of loans of the group.[2] He believed the group was using loans from other banks for the takeover.[17] According to Ahsan H Mansur, director of Policy Research Institute of Bangladesh, the group has taken 800 billion taka loans from various banks through its subsidiaries.[18] The group has made significant investments in Singapore.[18] It purchased 20 ships from Western Marine Shipyard for 2.5 billion taka.[19]

In October 2018, S. Alam group purchased 45 per cent of the shares of Padma Islami Life Insurance Company.[20]

On April 17, 2021, five workers at Banshkhali power plant were killed by police firing bullets at protesting workers demanding payment of dues and breaks for prayer and iftar during Ramadan. Their ages ranged from 18 to 25. More than 20 other workers were also injured.[21][22][23] The company filed a case against a local engineer under the Digital Security Act.[24] Bangladesh High Court ordered S. Alam Group to pay 500 thousand taka to each of those workers killed in the police action.[25] The company launched a satellite television channel, Nexus Television, in July 2021.[26][27][28][29]

Directorate of Consumers' Rights Protection had found S. Alam stopped production of edible oil during shortages hiking up price of oil in the market.[30] In December 2022, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called for an investigation into S. Alam Group according to The Daily Star.[31] The Prime Minister's Office denied the prime minister issued the order.[32] Justices Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Khizir Hayat of the High Court Division ordered an investigation into the S. Alam Group owned banks of Social Islami Bank Limited, First Security Islami Bank, and Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd.[33] Bangladesh Bank provided additional funding to five S. Alam Group owned banks, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Islami Bank Bangladesh, Social Islami Bank, and Union Bank.[34] In 2022, it was one of five Bangladeshi groups that imported more than one billion dollar worth of raw materials; the others were Abul Khair Group, Bashundhara Group, BSRM, and Meghna Group of Industries.[35]

In January 2023, S. Alam Group owned Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd received 80 billion taka in emergency funds from Bangladesh Bank.[36]

Criticism

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SS Power Limited, a concern of S Alam Group, allegedly laundered $815.78 million (around Tk 10,000 crore) from Bangladesh between 2019 and 2023 through misuse of two Letters of Credit (LCs) meant for importing capital machinery for a 1320MW coal-based power plant in Chattogram. Despite opening the LCs to import items such as boiler structures, generators, and transformers, no equipment ever entered Bangladesh. However, the funds were still transferred out of the country, with Bangladesh Bank approving payments to SS Power’s Chinese partner, SEPCO, based on fake invoices and fabricated documents. An investigation by The Daily Star revealed that 184 fraudulent invoices were uploaded on the Bangladesh Bank server via Rupali Bank, which managed the LCs. These invoices included future dates, unrelated Import Permissions (IPs), and even documents tied to exports, not imports. Of these, 88 invoices were linked to 50 companies that had no connection with SS Power or SEPCO. Even though Chattogram Customs found no import records for these transactions, payments were still processed. Further investigation showed that Rupali Bank uploaded the fraudulent data despite there being no actual imports, pointing to the involvement of high-level bank officials. While SS Power’s CFO denied wrongdoing, Rupali Bank confirmed the transfer of $815.78 million. This scandal highlights serious gaps in the financial oversight mechanisms of Bangladesh, with both customs and banking authorities failing to prevent the capital flight. Bangladesh Bank and other authorities have yet to take decisive action, although they have acknowledged the evidence brought forward.[37]

Companies of S.Alam Group

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Food and allied products

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  • S. Alam Soya Seed Extraction Plant Ltd.
  • S. Alam Vegetable Oil Limited.
  • S. Alam Super Edible Oil Limited.
  • S. Alam Refined Sugar Industries Ltd.
  • S. Alam Refined Sugar Industries Ltd. (Unit-2)
  • S. Alam Tank Terminal Ltd.

Cement

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  • S. Alam Cement Ltd.
  • Portland Cements Ltd.

Steel

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  • S. Alam Steels Ltd.
  • S. Alam Cold Rolled Steels Ltd.
  • S. Alam Cold Rolled Steels Ltd. (Unit-2)
  • Galco Steels (BD) Ltd.
  • Galco Steels (BD) Ltd. (Unit-2)

Power and energy

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  • Karnaphuli Prakritik Gas Co. Ltd.
  • Shah Amanat Prakritik Gas Co. Ltd.
  • S. Alam Power Plant Ltd.
  • S. Alam Power Plant ltd. (Unit-2)
  • S. Alam Power Generation Ltd.
  • SS Power 1 Ltd, Gondamara, Baskhali (660 MW Coal Power Plant).
  • SS Power 2 Ltd, Gondamara, Baskhali (660 MW Coal Power Plant).

Transportation

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S. Alam Luxury Chair Coach Services Ltd.

Shipping

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  • Bering Sea Lines

Manufacturing

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  • S. Alam Bag Manufacturing Mills Ltd.

Properties

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  • S. Alam Properties Ltd.
  • Hasan Abason (Pvt.) Ltd.
  • Modern Properties Ltd.
  • Ocean Resorts Ltd.
  • Prasad Paradise Ltd.
  • Marine Empire
  • Fatehabad Farm Ltd

Trading

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  • S. Alam Brothers Ltd.
  • S. Alam Trading Co. (Pvt.) Ltd.
  • S. Alam & Company
  • Sonali Cargo Logistics (Pvt.) Ltd.
  • Sonali Traders
  • Global Trading Cor. Ltd.

Banks and non bank financial institution of S. Alam

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Change of guards raises eyebrows". The Daily Star. 2017-10-31. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  2. ^ a b "Government looking into debt records of S Alam Group". Dhaka Tribune. 26 November 2017. Retrieved 2018-08-27.
  3. ^ "S Alam's 45,000C theft from the banking sector". Dhaka Tribune. 16 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b Parvez, Sohel (2009-04-03). "S Alam buys out leasing firm". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  5. ^ "S Alam Group teams up with Chinese firm for coal power plant". The Daily Star. 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  6. ^ "Bangladesh coal plant protests continue after demonstrators killed". The Guardian. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  7. ^ "129 individuals, 74 orgs demand stop to Banshkhali Coal Power Plant project". The Daily Star. 2021-06-22. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  8. ^ "Why obstructions on ETV programme telecast: HC". The Daily Star. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  9. ^ "ETV chairman sent to jail". Dhaka Tribune. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  10. ^ "ETV off air after airing Tarique's speech". The Daily Star. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  11. ^ একুশে টিভির নতুন মালিক এস আলম গ্রুপ. Jago News 24 (in Bengali). 25 November 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  12. ^ "New owners again for Ekushey Television". BDNews24. 25 November 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Changing of the guard at Islami Bank". The Daily Star. 2017-01-08. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  14. ^ Taiyeb, Faiz Ahmad (2022-12-06). "The rise and fall of Islami Bank". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  15. ^ Jamal, Eresh Omar (2022-12-04). "Destroying the economy to save the thieves". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  16. ^ "IBBL claims New Age report not presented properly". New Age. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i "S Alam Group: 'Govt looking into fund sources'". The Daily Star. 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
  18. ^ a b Mortoza, Golam (2022-12-06). "Islami Bank's loan scams were not unknown to policymakers". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  19. ^ "S Alam Group to buy 20 ships at Tk 250cr". The Daily Star. 2017-04-24. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  20. ^ Alo, Jebun Nesa (2018-10-04). "S Alam now sets sights on insurers". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  21. ^ "5 dead as police open fire on coal power plant workers in Chattogram". The Daily Star. 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  22. ^ "Banshkhali Power Plant Site:5 workers killed as cops open fire". The Daily Star. 2021-04-18. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  23. ^ "Five die in clash between police and power plant workers in Banshkhali". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  24. ^ "S Alam Group, police served contempt of court notice for case against Banshkhali engineer". The Daily Star. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  25. ^ "HC directs S Alam to pay Tk 5 lakh each to victims' families". The Daily Star. 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  26. ^ নেক্সাস টিভির যাত্রা শুরু ৩০ জুলাই. Ekushey Television (in Bengali). 28 July 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  27. ^ রংধনু এখন নেক্সাস টেলিভিশন. Sajag News (in Bengali). 28 August 2020. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
  28. ^ আনুষ্ঠানিক সম্প্রচারে নেক্সাস টেলিভিশন. BDNews24 (in Bengali). 31 July 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  29. ^ আজ থেকে সম্প্রচারে আসছে নেক্সাস টেলিভিশন. Daily Naya Diganta (in Bengali). 31 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  30. ^ "S Alam mill found to have stopped selling bottled soybean oil". The Business Standard. 2022-03-13. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  31. ^ "Hold the elite to account". The Daily Star. 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  32. ^ "PMO's rejoinder, our reply". The Daily Star. 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  33. ^ "HC orders probe into 'loan scams' in 3 banks". The Daily Star. 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  34. ^ "BB injects Tk 4,000cr into 5 Islamic banks". The Daily Star. 2022-12-07. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  35. ^ Milad, Masud. "Five local conglomerates enter billion-dollar club". Prothom Alo. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  36. ^ Uddin, AKM Zamir (2023-01-02). "Islami Bank takes emergency Tk 8,000cr from BB". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  37. ^ Suman, Mohammad (2024-09-26). "SS Power Plant: S Alam nexus laundered $815m through two LCs". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2024-09-26.
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