FE Today Logo

Money-laundering case

Travel bar on 14 bankers, another

FE REPORT | December 08, 2021 00:00:00


The High Court (HC) on Tuesday imposed a travel ban on 14 AB Bank officials, including two former managing directors (MDs), and a businessman in a money-laundering case.

At the same time, it asked the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to arrest the accused within seven days after receiving the court order.

They include ex-MDs Mashiur Rahman Chowdh-ury and Shamim Ahmed Chowdhury, ex-EVP ABM Abdus Salam, SVP and ex-relationship manager Anisur Rahman, AVP Md Ruhul Amin, and EVP and head of CRM Wasika Afrozi, VP and CMR member Mufti Mostafizur Rahman and ex-SEVP and head of CRM Salma Akter.

Others are AVP and CRM member Emarot Hossain Fakir, ex-principal officer Tawhidul Islam, SVP and CRM member Shamai A Morshed, VP and CRM member Khandaker Rashed Anwar, AVP and CRM member Sirajul Islam and former VP also credit committee member Mahfuzul Islam.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq passed the order after hearing a bail petition filed by two defendants.

Among the 17 accused, the two are behind bars and sought bail through their lawyer. After hearing, the court also issued a rule over their bail.

Lawyer Golam Abbas Chowdhury Dulal appeared for the accused, Khurshid Alam Khan for the ACC and deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin Manik for the state.

"The court asked the ACC to arrest 15 accused… Immigration police, ACC and the police chief have been asked not to allow them to flee abroad," said Mr Khan.

The ACC sued 17 people, including the ex-MD duo on charge of embezzling Tk 1.76 billion through fake work orders and illegal bank guarantees.

ACC deputy assistant director Abul Kalam Azad filed the case with the ACC district integrated office-01 in Dhaka on June 08 this year. Ershad Brothers Corporation's owner Md Earhsad Ali has been made the prime accused in the case.

According to the case statement, the accused with the help of each other swindled Tk 1.76 billion out of the bank from 2014 to 2018 by faking six work orders.

Of the accused, AVP and relationship manager Abdur Rahim and VP Shahidul Islam filed bail petition with the HC on September 21.

The HC then refused to grant bail to them and asked the two officials to surrender to the court concerned.

Accordingly, they surrendered to a special court on November 03 and were sent to jail. They then moved the HC against the lower court order.

As the HC sought to know about other accused, the ACC lawyer replied that they were absconding.

[email protected]


Share if you like