Six bigwigs, businessmen get 54 years in jail in two weeks

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Courts have sentenced six political bigwigs and businessmen to a total of 54 years in jail in over past two weeks for amassing wealth through corruption, possessing illegal arms and narcotics and engaging in fraud.
Five others have been given 21 years in jail as abettors, reports bdnews24.com.
Besides, the courts forfeited all their illegally earned wealth and fined them more than Tk 10 million (1.0 crore) in total.
The convicted people include Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader and former state minister for civil aviation and tourism Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin, former communications minister and chairman of a faction of the Jatiya Party (JP) and Daily Ittefaq Editor Anwar Hossain Monju, BNP leader and former state minister for labour and employment Amanullah Aman, former BNP lawmakers Ali Asgar Loby and Nadim Mostafa and controversial businessmen Giasuddin Al Mamun.
Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury expressed satisfaction over the jail sentences, fines and forfeitures of the past two weeks.
ACC Commissioner Habibur Rahman Friday told the news agency over telephone, "These verdicts are proof that we are working relentlessly against corruption. The trial of other corrupt persons will also be completed soon."
A court at the Sangsad Bhaban on June 21 sentenced Amanullah Aman to 13 years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) and Tk 1.0 million in fine in default to suffer another year in jail for corruption. His wife Sabera Aman was also handed down a three-year jail term the same day for corruption.
Dhaka metropolitan assistant sessions Judge Syed Jahed Monsur on June 26 sentenced Anwar Hossain Monju to five years simple imprisonment, fined him Tk 10,000 in default of which to suffer another six months in jail for possessing narcotics illegally.
Dhaka metropolitan special tribunal-2 Judge Md Abul Bashar on July 3 sentenced Tarique Rahman's close friend and controversial businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun to 10 years' RI for keeping arms illegally.
The same day Rajshahi additional sessions Judge Rezaul Islam sentenced former lawmaker Nadim Mostafa to five years in jail in a case on charges of fraud.
The court also gave the same punishment to Nadim Mostafa's associate Principal Omar Ali, Nazmul Gani Pintu and Abdul Majid Mollah. All the convicts were fined Tk 7,000 each and another six months in jail if they failed to pay the fine.
However, Nadim Mostafa has been absconding since the imposition of the state of emergency.
On July 4, special judge's court-2 of judge Amar Kumar Roy sentenced BNP leader and former state minister for civil aviation and tourism Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin to a 13-year jail term and fined him Tk 5.0 million with another two years imprisonment if he failed to pay.
The court also sentenced Mir Nasir's son Mir Mohammad Helaluddin to three years in jail and a Tk 0.1 million fine for assisting in his father's crime. If he failed to pay the fine he would have to suffer another month in jail, the court ordered. Besides, the court also ordered confiscation of all their illegally earned wealth.
On July 5, special judge's court judge Shahed Nooruddin sentenced former BNP lawmaker and owner of Hawa Bhaban Ali Asgar Loby to eight years in jail for dodging Tk 40 million in taxes and suppressing information about his income.
He was also fined Tk 2.5 million, and would have to remain in jail for another year and a half if he failed to pay the fine.
The court also ordered confiscation of Loby's undeclared (in the income tax return) money.