Md. Shawkat Ali Chowdhury, the Chairman of Eastern Bank Limited (EBL), has denied the allegations of embezzling BDT 8,000 crore, calling them completely false, fabricated, and baseless.
In an official statement, he said that some media outlets and online news portals have been spreading misleading and defamatory reports involving his name, which he believes are part of a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation.
Shawkat Ali Chowdhury stated that he has been doing business since the 1980s, with significant investments in banking, insurance, ship recycling, tea, ceramics, housing, and logistics sectors. Throughout his over 40 years of business, he has never defaulted on any loans, never sought rescheduling, and never requested interest waivers from any bank.
He claimed that all his bank loans were repaid on time, and that the BDT 8,000 crore transactions mentioned in reports were simply normal business operations.
He also highlighted that he, his wife, and their associated businesses have been recognized by the National Board of Revenue (NBR) as top taxpayers for 11 consecutive years (2013–14 to 2023–24).
According to him, a vested group is spreading false and misleading information by linking his name with Eastern Bank PLC. He emphasized that Eastern Bank PLC operates in full compliance with Bangladesh Bank’s regulations, and no government agency has any allegations against him.
Finally, he urged everyone not to be misled by such false reports and stated that he is willing to cooperate fully with any government investigation regarding the matter.