Further investigation on Bangladesh mob boss’ business and money laundering in Hungary

Haris Ahmed Source: Video still from youtube.com/watch?v=a6v_levbUN4

We recently published an article about how Al Jazeera has uncovered the truth behind Haris Ahmed’s false identity and whereabouts. As the investigation concluded they found out that the international criminal carries out his dirty business from Budapest, Hungary and was rumoured to even have influence over Hungarian international relations.

You can read in our previous article, that Haris Ahmed has been on the most wanted international criminals list of Interpol for a few years and he is still among the most wanted criminals in Bangladesh. He was convicted for his involvement in the 1996 murder of Mustafizur Rahman Mustafa. He fled his sentence and ended up in Hungary where he has been operating several local enterprises since 2015, which, according to the experts asked by Al Jazeera, are common practice to help launder money from illegal deals.

As the false identity of Haris Ahmed has been revealed, Hungarian news also started to dig deeper into the case.

According to 24, the criminal group, which Haris Ahmed is a member of, is linked to and works with the Bangladeshi secret services and the Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. The criminal organisation offers government contracts and high positions in exchange for money, which is Haris’ primary income laundered by his enterprises. When 444 asked the Central Bank of Hungary, the bank told the investigator that the currency exchange service of Haris Ahmed does not have the necessary permits to operate as currency exchange service, further serving as evidence of the illegal deals going on behind closed doors.

Haris Ahmed Currency Exchange — Haris Ahmed’s currency exchange in Budapest Source: Video still from youtube.com/watch?v=a6v_levbUN4

444, who helped the investigation of Al Jazeera in Hungary wrote that Haris arrived in Budapest five years ago under the false identity of Mohammad Hasan. And while his escape from Bangladesh was staged by his brother, his stay in Hungary was helped by the former honorary consul to Bangladesh, Ambrus Nyerges. In 2015, Ambrus Nyerges wrote a letter to the Hungarian National Directorate-general for Aliens Policing. He told them to evaluate the application of Mohammad Hasan (Haris’ false identity) positively. As far as the honorary consul knew, the businessman wanted to open a restaurant and hostel in Budapest. Nyerges argued,

“we believed that his successful businesses would serve as a future reference for other Bangladeshi businessmen looking to invest in Hungary”.

444 asked him whether he knew the real identity of Mohammad Hasan at that time, but he did not reply.

Haris tried to make deals between Hungary and the Bangladeshi army. He first wanted to sell beds and later Hungarian ammunition to the foreign military. Al Jazeera presented a hidden camera footage where he mentions this deal and he was heard saying: “If anything goes down in Hungary, then I know about it. […]”. Ambrus Nyerges, the honorary consul, was already talking about such possible businesses when Haris arrived in Hungary. He said in an interview shortly released after his letter to the Directorate that “I am glad that there are special Hungarian products that could be in the interest of the Bangladeshi army. […] It may take time, but we will soon have an excellent chance of doing business with the Bangladeshi army”.

“The political relation between Hungary and Bangladesh is in balance, which has been showing signs of dynamic development recently,” – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs answered 444.

The Ministry also said about Haris’ planned bunk bed and ammunition business, that it has no contracts with either Haris Ahmed or his companies. The Ministry of Defence also wrote that they had never been in contact with Haris Ahmed, had no knowledge of the deals and had not been involved.

Business Card — Haris Ahmed’s fake business card Source: Video still from youtube.com/watch?v=a6v_levbUN4

24 asked the Hungarian Department of Interior and received the answer from the Hungarian National Directorate-general for Aliens Policing. The authorities wrote that “according to the legislation, they can only give information to the appropriate persons determined by law,” as an answer to whether they will deport Haris Ahmed.

The Press Department of the Hungarian National Police Headquarters told the agency that they conduct an international investigation about the case’s circumstances.