On Thursday (5 November), the NBR's Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) sent this urgent directive to all banks in the country via email. NBR officials said the operation was launched as part of preventing tax evasion and suspicious transactions based on specific intelligence information. According to the directive issued under the powers of the Money Laundering Prevention Act and the Income Tax Act, funds cannot be withdrawn or transferred from the relevant accounts until further instructions are given.

The list includes Tipu Munshi, founder of Sipal Group and former commerce minister; Salman F Rahman of Beximco Group; Salam Murshedy of Envoy Group; Shahriar Alam, former state minister for foreign affairs, of Renaissance Group; Nasrul Hamid Bipu, former state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, of Hamid Group; and Tajul Islam, former local government minister, of Fabian Group.

Also on the list are Fayzur Rahman Badal of Tusuka Group, Abdus Salam of Well Group, Khosru Chowdhury of Nipa Group, Zahid Ahmed Tulu of Axis Knitwear, AKM Mosharraf Hossain of Standard Group and Masuma Khatun Lipa of Givency Group, among many others.