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Shuchona Foundation Gets Crore-Scale Donations from S Alam, Beximco, PK Halder
The Shuchona Foundation, a non-profit founded by Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has received significant donations from top business conglomerates, including S Alam Group, Beximco, and controversial figure PK Halder, who is accused of massive financial embezzlement.
PK Halder, also known as Prashanta Kumar Halder, is implicated in embezzling millions from several financial institutions in Bangladesh. Other donors to the foundation include the Confidence Group, Meghna Group, Summit Group, and United Group, as per an internal report from the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU).
In November, the BFIU ordered banks to freeze the foundation’s accounts due to suspicious transactions. According to the report, the foundation has received a total of Tk179 crore in donations, with Tk114 crore already spent and Tk65 crore frozen. The funds were primarily deposited by Islami Bank and Union Bank, both linked to S Alam Group.
The foundation was established in 2014 by Putul and three other trustees—Muzharul Mannan, Md Shamshuzzman, and Zain Bari Rizvi. It focuses on supporting individuals with mental disabilities, neurological disorders, autism, and mental health issues.
However, during a raid on January 29, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) reported that it found no trace of the foundation at its listed address in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. Putul, currently the WHO's Southeast Asia Regional Director, has also faced corruption allegations, including a case for allegedly misusing power in the acquisition of government plots in Purbachal.
Following the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024, multiple cases have been filed against Putul and other family members of Sheikh Hasina, including her sister Sheikh Rehana and son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, over similar corruption charges.