A Dhaka court today read out the verdict that sentenced Regent Group Chairman Mohammad Shahed to six months' imprisonment in a cheque dishonour case.

Judge Faisal Atiq Bin Kader of the First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka read out the judgement in presence of Shahed and sent him to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.

The judge also directed the jail authorities to start his jail sentence from today.

On August 18, 2010, Judge Md Harunur Rashed of the same court sentenced Shahed to six months' imprisonment and fined him Tk 53 lakh in absentia in the cheque dishonour case.

If he fails to pay the fine, Shahed will have to suffer six months more in jail, the judge said in his judgement, adding that the punishment will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender.

The judge also issued a conviction warrant against him and sent the copy of the warrant to Uttara Purba Police Station.

According to the prosecution, Shahed, proprietor of RS Shipping & Trading located at Sector-6 in Uttara, bought electronic equipment from Md Mojibur Rahman -- proprietor of Green Connection International located on Babur Road in Mohammadpur -- in 2007, at the cost of Tk 50 lakh.

On November 29 of 2007, Shahed issued two cheques of Tk 50 lakh against the dues.

On January 29 of 2008, the two cheques were dishonoured as there were no sufficient funds in Shahed's bank account.

Mojibur Rahman then informed it to Shahed but he did not pay heed to it. Finding no alternative, Mojibur on February 28 of 2008 through his lawyer served a legal notice asking Shahed to pay his Tk 50 lakh within 30 days from the day of receipt of the notice.

Shahed did not take any initiative to pay the money. On March 1 the same year, Mojibur Rahman through his lawyer published an advertisement in a newspaper -- the daily Manabjamin -- asking Shahed to pay the money. But Shahed did not respond.

Later, on August 24 of 2008, Mojibur filed a cheque dishonour case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka.

On June 2 of 2009, Shahed secured bail on his surrender before a Dhaka court.

The case was then transferred to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court of Dhaka for its disposal. Charge was framed against him on October 26.

Shahed was arrested on July 15 this year from Satkhira while he was trying to flee the country on a boat.

On September 28, Shahed was sentenced to life imprisonment in an arms case.