Laundering Tk 15cr: HC directs police to arrest Bismillah Group MD in 7 days

The High Court today directed law enforcers to arrest Bismillah Group Managing Director Khaza Solaiman Anwar Chowdhury and six other executives in seven days in a case filed over laundering Tk 15.33 crore.

The court ordered the inspector general of police (IGP) and the director general (DG) of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) to issue red alert through the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) to detain them if the law enforcers cannot arrest them in seven days.

Six other absconding offenders are: Khaza Solaiman Anwar Chowdhury's wife and the chairperson of Bismillah Group Nowrin Hasib, Shafiqul Anwar Chowdhury, Akbar Aziz Muttakin, Abul Hashem Chowdhury, Riazuddin Ahmed and Akbar Hossain.

The HC also asked the IGP and Rab's DG to submit separate reports on the progress of arresting the fugitives by April 5. 

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam came up with the order during hearing a petition filed by SM Shoabul Kabir, another convict of the same case who is now in jail, seeking bail in the case.

Refusing to grant bail to Shoabul, the court fixed April 5 for further hearing on the bail petition.

A Dhaka court on September 10, 2018, sentenced nine Bismillah Group executives to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment in a case filed over laundering Tk 15.33 crore.

Of the convicts, Mustaque Ahmed Khan and SM Shoabul Kabir are now in jail and the rest are absconding, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told The Daily Star.