Motazzarul Islam Mithu, notorious for corruption in the health sector during the Awami League government, has been arrested. The Dhaka Metropolitan DB Police conducted a raid in the Gulshan area of Dhaka and apprehended him on Thursday (11 September).

Muhammad Talebur Rahman, Deputy Police Commissioner (Media) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, stated that Mithu was arrested from a house in Gulshan during a special operation. He had been in hiding for a long time.

Mithu is accused of embezzling crores of taka through irregularities, tender fraud, and misappropriation of funds in various health sector projects. He has been under law enforcement surveillance since the change of government. According to the DB, Mithu has long been identified as one of the main perpetrators of corruption in the health sector.

He is also implicated in embezzling and laundering funds through a syndicate in the health sector. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case against him on Wednesday, accusing him of acquiring illegal assets worth Tk 75 crore.

The ACC investigation report states that Mithu, owner of companies Lexicon Merchandise and Technocrat, acquired immovable assets worth Tk 18.40 crore through the purchase and lease of agricultural land, plots, flats, and houses.

Additionally, his movable assets—including shares and investments in various companies, vehicles, bank balances, gold ornaments, furniture, and electronics—amounted to Tk 57.44 crore. In total, his movable and immovable assets are valued at Tk 75.85 crore.

Furthermore, family expenditures under Mithu’s name amount to Tk 71.45 crore, bringing his total assets and expenditures to approximately Tk 147.30 crore. The ACC stated that his lawful and verifiable income—from business, rent, agricultural revenue, salaries and allowances, farm shares, bank interest, security deposit interest, and foreign remittances—amounted to Tk 71.50 crore.