Laundering Tk124.82cr: Bismillah Group MD, chairman jailed for 12 yrs

A Dhaka court today sentenced Bismillah Group Managing Director Khaza Soleiman Anwar Chowdhury, his wife and group's Chairman Nawrin Hasib and six others to 12 years' rigorous imprisonment in absentia in a case filed over laundering Tk124.82crore from Jamuna Bank Ltd.

Other convicts are Soleman's father Shafiqul Anwar Chowdhury, Bismillah Group's deputy managing director Akbar Aziz Muttaki, general manager Mohammad Abul Hossain Chowdhury, manager Riazuddin Ahmed Shafi, Network Frame System Ltd's Chairman Akhter Hossain and Jamuna Bank Ltd's former deputy managing director Mozammel Hossain.

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-5 handed down the sentence in their absence in the courtroom.

The judge also fined them Tk248.85 crore and asked them to deposit the money to the government treasury within 60 days.

The judge also ordered the authorities concerned to confiscate the convicts' all moveable and immovable properties in favour of the state.

The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender, said the judge in his judgment.

The judge acquitted two others--Jamuna Bank's former senior assistant vice-presidents Mohammad Morshedur Rahman and SM Zahidul Islam--as their involvement was not proven.

Earlier the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments and the judge recorded statements of 22 prosecution witnesses, including the complainant, in case.

ACC Deputy Assistant Director Al Amin filed the case against 10 people, including Soleiman, his wife, father and seven others with Motijheel Police Station on November 3, 2013.

On 10 September 2018, another Dhaka court sentenced nine people, including Soleiman Anwar and Nawrin Hasib, to 10 years' imprisonment in a money laundering case.

The ACC filed 11 more cases against 54 people over the misappropriation of about Tk 12 billion from five banks by Bismillah Group with Ramna, Motijheel and New Market police stations on November 3, 2013.