Former Finance Minister M. Saifur Rahman died on September 5, 2009. While returning from Moulvibazar to Dhaka, he was involved in a road accident at Khariala on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Ashuganj, Brahmanbaria. He lost control of his car, which fell into a ditch by the roadside. The vehicle, which sank in 5-6 feet of water, contained six people, including the driver. Only M. Saifur Rahman died in the incident. On January 27, 2005, Shah AMS Kibria was attacked in a grenade blast at a public meeting in Baidyerbazar, Habiganj Sadar Upazila. In that attack, five people, including the former finance minister, were killed.

Politicians, officials, governors, and others who worked directly with these two deceased ministers from the Sylhet region have stated that as Finance Ministers, M. Saifur Rahman and Shah AMS Kibria were both quite successful. Due to their strong-willed attitude, everyone respected them. They had a firm stance on irregularities and corruption. Both played commendable roles in the reform of the banking sector and the establishment of good governance. They were strict against the mafia system in the banking sector. During their time, oligarchs were unable to enter the central bank. In many cases, these two economists did not hesitate to take positions against the opinions of the head of government. Because of this, many people within their party, as well as among the oligarchs, considered them enemies. Some have pointed out that there may be a connection between the tragic deaths of the country's top two finance ministers.

The renowned chartered accountant M. Saifur Rahman was a trusted companion of Ziaur Rahman, the founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). He played a prominent role in the formation of the BNP. As Finance Minister during the party's rule, he presented the national budget in Parliament 12 times. M. Saifur Rahman brought significant reforms to Bangladesh's economy in the post-1990 period.

Originally from Moulvibazar, this politician completely reformed the nation's tax and customs system in the early 1990s. Under his guidance, the value-based tariff system replaced the fixed tariff system in the trade industry. He additionally implemented several changes in the import-export trade of products. Despite significant resistance, he proceeded with the creation and execution of liberal economic policies. He is acknowledged as the founder of the free-market reform movement in Bangladesh.

M. Saifur Rahman was the Finance Minister in Ziaur Rahman's government from 1977 until 1982 and subsequently held the position of Finance Minister in Abdus Sattar's administration. He subsequently held the position of Finance Minister in Begum Khaleda Zia's cabinet from 1991 to 1996. Ultimately, from 2001 to 2006, he served as the Finance and Planning Minister in Khaleda Zia's second cabinet.

An anonymous source, a responsible person who collaborated with M. Saifur Rahman from 2001 to 2006, informed Bonik Barta, "M. Saifur Rahman faced substantial pressure from the government to sanction new banks, yet he disregarded this pressure, prioritizing economic demands." Consequently, numerous leaders from the BNP and some businessmen grew furious with him. Conversely, his credibility peaked with institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, and other multinational organizations. Even during his time in the opposition, they consulted him for advice. As a result, a significant group of individuals were unhappy with him. M. Saifur Rahman lost his life in a traffic collision on September 5, 2009. Nonetheless, concerns have been expressed regarding the conditions surrounding his death. Beginning in 2010, the expansion of mafia influence in the banking sector and the economy commenced.

When inquired about this, M. Saifur Rahman's son, M. Naser Rahman, informed Bonik Barta, "During that period, we did listen to some conversations regarding potential conspiracies. However, we didn't truly consider it deeply. The car had six occupants at the time of the accident, including the driver, but only my father lost his life. After the vehicle plunged into the water, the driver shattered the front window and was able to pull him out. Nonetheless, we were unable to locate the driver later."

Naser Rahman is presently a member of the BNP's National Executive Committee. After his father's exit, he was chosen as a Member of Parliament for the Moulvibazar-3 constituency in a by-election in 2001. Naser Rahman said, "We learned that the driver dozed off while navigating an unoccupied road, leading to the collision. The chauffeur had worked for my father for many years, so I never had any suspicions. However, after all these years, lacking any evidence, I believe it's unnecessary to bring up the matter."

When asked whether he had ever attempted to locate the driver following the accident, he answered, "I could not find him. However, I've been told that he's still living."

While international news organizations such as Deutsche Welle and several local media sources reported that Saifur Rahman's driver had also perished in the incident, the police carried out no investigation or inquiry concerning the driver's survival or absence.

When questioned if there were any inquiries at the BNP's policymaking level concerning M. Saifur Rahman's death, the party's Secretary-General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, informed Bonik Barta, "He passed away due to an accident." Aside from that, the party has not entertained any other ideas. No party has raised any questions regarding this issue.

In the 1990s, Shah AMS Kibria, the Finance Minister under the Awami League administration, firmly backed the reform initiatives his predecessor, Saifur Rahman, set forth. He was responsible for the Ministry of Finance during Sheikh Hasina's administration from 1996 to 2001. Throughout his tenure, social safety nets' significance in the economy grew, and initiatives to enforce discipline in the nation's banking sector were bolstered.

The 1998 flood was among the most catastrophic events in the nation's history. This deluge persisted for over two months and inundated almost two-thirds of the country. Nonetheless, the government managed to regulate inflation because of Shah AMS Kibria's prompt measures. This politician, hailing from Habiganj, also participated in the Language Movement and the Liberation War. Throughout his career, he gained a solid reputation as a diplomat.

Despite 19 years having gone by since the murder of Shah AMS Kibria, this horrific event remains unresolved. Sheikh Hasina exercised complete authority for more than 15 years, starting in 2009, yet throughout this extended time, the enigma surrounding Kibria's assassination, despite the Awami League's influence in policymaking, remains unsolved.

In this context, Reza Kibria, the son of Shah AMS Kibria, informed Bonik Barta, "Sheikh Hasina holds the key to who murdered my father. She has consistently engaged in safeguarding the murderers. "If she is questioned, the identities of the murderers will be revealed."

Reza Kibria asserts that the oligarchs funded the assassination of Shah AMS Kibria. He said, "My father had authorized an arrest warrant for Salman F Rahman due to his participation in the stock market scam. As a result, my father angered Salman F Rahman and Sheikh Hasina. My father and Sheikh Hasina disagreed on this matter."

Reza Kibria said, "The killing of my father involved local Awami League leaders and a BNP member. The primary orchestrators of the killing were Abu Zahir, the former MP of the Habiganj-3 constituency and president of the Habiganj District Awami League, Abdul Majid Khan, former MP of Habiganj-2, and Mushfique Hussain Chowdhury, former Chairman of the District Council. To conceal the actual murderers, Sheikh Hasina implicated several minor leaders and activists of the BNP. This savage killing requires a fresh inquiry. An accurate inquiry will disclose the identities of the murderers."