The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday observed that poor farmers are arrested for collecting Tk 5,000-10,000 loans from them whereas big lawyers are engaged to defer payment of loans worth billions of taka.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, made the observation while holding hearing on a leave-to-appeal petition.
The petition was filed by one Md Masudur Rahman, challenging an HC verdict that ordered Masudur and three other members of his family to submit the statements of their wealth and properties before it (the HC).
At one stage of the hearing, the apex court expressed anger at the lawyer for Masudur after it was informed that only Tk 0.5 million has been paid to Sonali Bank Limited against the total amount of more than Tk 1.15 billion in loan and interest.
The Appellate Division also dismissed the leave to appeal petition, which means that Masudur and his family members must submit their wealth and property statements. Sonali Bank's lawyer Shamim Khaled Ahmed said Fazlur Rahman, a businessman from Narayanganj, was the owner of Fazlur Rahman and Company. It took Tk 320 million as loan from Sonali Bank's Motijheel branch in 1996-1997. However, Fazlur Rahman died in 2017.
Sonali Bank authorities filed a case with the Artha Rin Adalat (Money Loan Court) in 2017 for collecting the money from the company. The court issued a decree of Tk 1.02 billion in favour of the bank.
Later, Sonali Bank filed a case with the court in 2021 for realising the money from Fazlur Rahman's four children, including Masudur Rahman.
In the case, the court sentenced them to six months' civil jail. At that time, the amount of loan and interest stood at Tk 1.15 billion.
Masudur's lawyer Moksadul Islam said his client (Masudur) was a six-year-old child when his father Fazlur Rahman had taken Tk 320 million loan for his company in 1996-1997.
How Masudur and his family members would pay Tk 1.15 billion, as they have no such properties, he said, adding that Masudur paid Tk 0.5 million to Sonali Bank from his own pocket.
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