Money launderers enemies of nation

Money launderers are enemies of the country and the nation as they illegally build mountains of wealth abroad, a Dhaka court observed yesterday after sentencing PK Halder to 22 years in jail for money laundering and possession of illegal wealth.

"In fact, money launderers like accused Proshanta Kumar Halder have no ideology. They do not cherish any ideology. However, they illegally build mountains of wealth hindering the country's development march," said the court.

Proshanta Kumar Halder, known as PK Halder, former managing director of NRB Global Bank, has been found guilty of illegally amassing around Tk 433.97 crore, and sentenced to 10 years on this charge. He has been given another 12 years for laundering around Tk 93.9 crore to Canada.

PK Halder, now in an Indian jail awaiting trial also for money laundering, will serve the jail time one after another. 

Judge Mohammad Nazrul Islam of the Special Judge's Court-10 of Dhaka in his verdict called upon all to resist money launderers.

"They [money launderers] should be collectively resisted for the sake of national interest and country's ongoing economic development. Consequently, accused Proshanta Kumar Halder deserves no leniency for the greater interest of the state," the judge said.

The accused have illegally built second homes abroad as they do not have any love for the country, he added.

The court also fined PK Halder, arrested in India on May 14 last year, Tk 1,044.11 crore.

Yesterday's verdict is the first instance of a Dhaka court convicting PK Halder, who faces 40 more graft and money laundering cases in Bangladesh.

"A talented citizen can play a role in building the nation by using his talent. On the other hand, if he gets involved in criminal circles, he becomes dangerous for the nation. PK Halder is a shining example of that," the judge said.

The court also sentenced 13 others to seven years' imprisonment and fined them various amounts of money on two counts -- assisting PK Halder in money laundering and helping him possess the illegal wealth. They were given four years on the first count and three years on the second count.

They are Sukumar Mridha, a lawyer for PK Halder, and his daughter Anindita Mridha, PK Halder's mother Lilabati Halder and brother Pritish Kumar Halder; and associates -- Abantika Baral, Shankha Bepari, Purnima Rani Halder, Amitav Adhikari, Rajib Som, Subrata Das, Ananga Mohon Roy, Uttam Kumar Mistri and Swapan Kumar Mistri.

Among the convicts, Sukumar, Anindita, Abantika and Shankha are now behind bars, while the remaining 10, including PK Halder, are absconding.

All accused other than PK Halder will serve the jail sentences concurrently.

The punishment of the fugitive convicts will be effective from the day of their arrest or their surrender before the court, said the judgement.

The period during which Sukumar, Anindita, Abantika and Shankha were in jail custody would be deducted from the jail term.

The court confiscated four flats, 6,419 decimals of land, 11 vehicles and Tk 1.87 crore deposited in 41 accounts of various banks. The properties and the money were owned by PK Halder and two other convicts.

The court directed the convicts to pay their fines within 60 days, or serve one year's additional rigorous imprisonment.

Prosecution lawyer Mir Ahmed Ali Salam expressed satisfaction over the verdict.

As per the rules, PK Halder and the other absconding accused had no legal representation in the court.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against PK Halder on January 8, 2020.

Investigation Officer Md Salahuddin, also a deputy director of ACC, on February 10 last year submitted a charge sheet to a Dhaka court against PK Halder and 13 others.

On September 8 last year, the court framed charges against them. As many as 114 prosecution witnesses testified in court against the accused.