Law-&-Order
Court directs to send Destiny director Farah Diba to jail
A Dhaka court has directed to send Farah Diba, one of the accused directors of Destiny Multipurpose Co-Operative Society Ltd and wife of sentenced Managing Director Rafiqul Amin, to jail in a money laundering case.
Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 Judge Sheikh Najmul Alam passed the order on Sunday after the accused appealed for bail after her surrender.
Lawyer Shahinul Islam Oni appeared for the accused while prosecutor Mir Ahmmed Ali Salam objected to the bail plea on behalf of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Also read: ACC appeals to HC to increase sentence of 45 Destiny executives
On May 12, a Dhaka court sentenced all 46 accused, including Destiny Group MD Rafiqul Amin, his wife Farah Diba, and Destiny-2000 president Lt Gen Harun (retd), to different terms of imprisonment in the money laundering case and fined Tk 2,300 crore.
Rafiqul Amin has been awarded 12 years imprisonment and Farah Diba was awarded eight-years imprisonment in this case.
On 31 July 2012, two separate cases were filed with the Kalabagan police station against Rafiqul and other officials of Destiny on the allegation of embezzling money from the investors in the name of Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society and Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and laundering it.
Also read: Issue red alerts for arrest of 39 fugitives in Destiny scam case: HC
According to the case complaint, Destiny group collected Tk 1,901 crore from the investors and embezzled Tk 1,861.45 crore of it. As a result, Its eight lakh investors faced loss.
ACC appeals to HC to increase sentence of 45 Destiny executives
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has appealed to the High Court (HC) to increase the tenure of the sentence of 45 executives including Lt Gen (retd) Harun-Ar-Rashid of Destiny Multipurpose Co-Operative Society Ltd. and Destiny Tree Plantation Project in a money embezzlement case.
ACC counsel Khurshid Alam Khan pleaded for a hearing before the bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Kazi Md. Ejarul Haque Akondo on Sunday.
Khurshid Alam said,” Destiny Group Managing Director Rafiqul Amin has been awarded 12 years imprisonment and the other 45 executives have been given lower punishment. But this is an organised crime. There is no chance of a difference in punishment. That is why we have appealed to the court to increase their penalty term except for Rafiqul Amin. The court has directed the individuals concerned to include this appeal on the cause list on Monday. I Hope, the hearing will be held this week.”
Also read: Issue red alerts for arrest of 39 fugitives in Destiny scam case: HC
On May 12, a Dhaka court sentenced all 46 accused, including Destiny Group Managing Director Rafiqul Amin and Destiny-2000 president Lt Gen Harun (retd), to different terms of imprisonment in the money laundering case and fined Tk 2,300 crore.
On 31 July 2012, two separate cases were filed with the Kalabagan police station against Rafiqul and other officials of Destiny on the allegation of embezzling money from the investors in the name of Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society and Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and laundering it.
Also read: HC passes split order on granting bail to Destiny Group director
On Thursday last, the HC directed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to bring to justice 39 fugitives convicted in the case filed for embezzling Tk 4,000 crore from Destiny Group subscribers.
Youth sentenced to death for killing mason in Sylhet
A court in Sylhet on Sunday sentenced a youth to death for killing a mason at Sylhet’s Beanibazar upazila in 2019.
The convict is Abdul Mubin Limon, 18, of the upazila.
Sylhet Additional District and Session Judge and Third Court Judge Md Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan handed down the sentence.
Also read: 4 of family killed in Sylhet landslide
On December 28 in 2019, Mason Nazrul Islam was hacked to death at Nandirfal village of the upazila after being called through a phone call. Later, police recovered his body and a case was filed in this regard.
Later, the investigating officer (IO) of the case, Sub-inspector (SI) Shah Alam Bhuiyan, arrested Abdul Mubin Limon on December 5 of the same year following the call list of the deceased’s mobile phone. Limon later confessed his involvement in the murder before Sylhet’s first class magistrate Noreen Karim.
On June 29 in 2020, IO submitted a chargesheet against the convict in the court.
SC suspends bail order by HC to Regent’s Shahed in arms case
The Appellate Division on Sunday suspended the bail order by the High Court to Regent Group chairman Mohammad Shahed in an arms case, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
The Appellate Division Chamber Justice M Enayetur Rahim suspended the bail order following the state's petition.
Also read:Regent hospital scam: Ex-DGHS DG, 5 others indicted
The court fixed August 1 for the hearing of the petition filed by the state.
Deputy Attorney General Biswajit Debnath and Deputy Attorney General Md Bashir Ullah represented the state in the court while senior lawyer SM Shahjahan appeared for Shahed.
Earlier in the day, a Dhaka court framed charges against Shahed with five others, including former director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Abul Kalam Azad, in a case over Regent Hospital’s fake Covid test report scam.
Regent Group Chairman Shahed was sentenced to life imprisonment in arms cases on September 28 in 2020 by the lower court.
The court also jailed him for seven years under section 19 (F) of the same case.
Later, Shahed sought bail by appealing to the High Court against the sentence. The High Court granted him bail on June 7.
On July 6, 2020, Rab raided the Uttara and Mirpur branches of Regent Hospital. During the operation, fake Covid test reports, and various irregularities including collection of money from patients in the name of Covid treatment were unveiled.
Also read: Trial begins against Regent’s Shahed in ACC case
The next day, a case was filed against 17 people at Uttara West Police Station.
On July 15, from the border area of Satkhira, Regent Group and Regent Hospital Chairman Shahed was arrested by RAB. Shahed has been in jail since then.
More than 36 cases have been filed against Shahed on allegations of different irregularities.
Bangladesh Railway authority forms two separate committees to probe fire on Parabat Express
The Bangladesh Railway authority formed two separate committees to probe the fire incident on intercity train Parabat Express at Kamalganj upazila in Moulvibazar.
“Each committee has four members and they have been asked to submit reports within three days after investigating the cause of fire and damages from it,” said Jahangir Hossain, General Manager of Bangladesh Railway East Zone.
Read: Fire on moving train: Dhaka-Sylhet rail communication restored after 3 hours
He said one of the committees is divisional and another is zonal. “The two committees will be led by Chief Commercial Manager of Bangladesh Railway East Zone and Chief Mechanical Engineer of Bangladesh Railway East Zone,” he added.
The fire broke out at the power car or restaurant car of the moving train around 12:45 pm when it reached near Shamshernagar Air Base and disrupted the rail communication on Dhaka-Sylhet route on Saturday.
After more than three hours it was restored at 4 pm as the inter-city train “Parabat Express” left for Sylhet.
At first the locals tried to douse the flames and later firefighting units of Kamalganj, Moulvibazar, Srimangal and Kulaura rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze.
Read: Fire breaks out at moving ferry, doused quickly
Abu Bakkar, sub-inspector of Shamshernagar Railway Station, said three compartments of the train were gutted during the fire.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported as the authorities concerned managed to stop the train in time.
Bus owner, driver held for killing policeman
Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members on Friday night arrested two people in connection to a road accident that killed a police constable on June 6.
The arrestees are bus driver Md Jakir Hossain, 40, and bus owner Md Alam Khoka, 40.
The driver was held from Brahmanbaria and the owner was held from Savar during separate operations, said ASP Imran Khan of the Rab headquarters media wing.
During the interrogation, it was learned that the bus didn’t have any route permit and was being run illegally, he said.
Read: Ansarullah Bangla Team member held in Nilphamari
On Jun 6, a police constable riding a motorbike was hit and killed by a bus in the city’s Karwan Bazar area near the Sonargaon intersection.
The deceased was identified as Korban Ali Hossain, 35, a constable posted at Rajarbagh Police Telecom Bhaban who used to live in Savar.
A bus of Welcome Paribahan hit Korban’s motorcycle around 10 am, said Al Imran, Sub-Inspector of Hatirjheel police station.
He was immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) where doctors declared him dead around 11:45 am, he said.
Ansarullah Bangla Team member held in Nilphamari
The Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU) unit of police has arrested a member of the banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team from Jaldhaka upazila of Nilphamari.
Md Raihan Ali, 19, was arrested from Khutamara Thursday, ATU Superintendent of Police Mohammad Aslam Khan said.
Police also seized a smartphone and two sim cards from him.
Raihan and his associates were seeking to create an Islamic caliphate in the country through online activities, Aslam said. "A case has been filed against him with Jaldhaka police."
The government banned Ansarullah Bangla Team in 2015 for its "militant and anti-state activities."
Also read: 4 ‘members’ of Ansarullah Bangla Team held in city
Bhola Clash: 20 including 7 cops injured
At least 20 people, seven of them policemen, were injured in a clash between villagers over occupying land at Char Chotkimara area of Bhola sadar upazila Thursday, police said.
The injured police members are Sub-Inspector (SI) of Veduria Police Investigation Center Inzamul Hossain, 29, members of Char Chatkimara Police Camp Arif ,25, Alim 24, Sagor ,24, Pial Roga ,24, Shri Sujoy,24 and Shafiur 25.
Four injured cops were admitted to Bhola sadar hospital, said Enayet Hossain, officer-in-charge of Bhola Sadar Police Station.
Read: 20 injured in clash over land dispute in Sylhet
According to the police, Rubel Kazi, a resident of Sreepur along with villagers, armed with weapons, went to Char Chatkimara area of Bhola and started to build houses there. When the locals resosted them, the supporters of Rubel swooped on them that triggered a clash between them.
On information, police rushed to the spot and tried to control the situation, but they also came under attack.
Police fired 28 rounds in the air to bring the situation under control, added the OC.
Locals claimed that Rubel has been trying to grab land from Bheduria village for a long time. Centring this, several clashes took place earlier. This clash also took place centring the issue.
Read: BCL factions clash at DU over ‘occupying hall seat’
Police filed a case against 24 people at Bhola sadar police station on Thursday night.
On Friday, a team of police conducted a drive in the area and arrested twelve people for their alleged involvement in the clash, said the officer.
Issue red alerts for arrest of 39 fugitives in Destiny scam case: HC
The High Court on Thursday directed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to bring to justice 39 fugitives convicted in the case filed for embezzling Tk 4,000 crore from Destiny Group subscribers.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and law enforcement agencies have also been asked to issue Interpol red notices in order to alert international authorities of the compulsion to arrest the fugitives.
Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order after rejecting a petition filed by former army chief Lt Gen (retd) Harun-Ar-Rashid seeking bail in a case, said Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik.
Also Read: ACC case against Nazmul Huda to continue as HC rejects plea
On May 12, a Dhaka court sentenced all 46 accused, including Destiny Group Managing Director Rafiqul Amin and Destiny-2000 president Lt Gen (retd) Harun-Ar-Rashid, to different terms of imprisonment in the money laundering case and fined Tk 2,300 crore.
Among the convicts, Rafiqul Amin, Mohammad Hossain, M Harun-ur-Rashid, Jasmine Akter, Ziaul Haque and Saiful Islam are now in jail.
The 39 fugitives are mostly the lower –ranked officials of the company, but include a deputy managing director and a director.
BGB-BSF border conference underway in Jashore
A four-day long border conference between the Regional Commander of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the equivalent rank in India’s Border Security Force (BSF) got underway in Jashore Thursday.
The talks between Region Commander, BGB (Jashore and Rangpur) and Frontier Inspector General (IG), BSF (North Bengal, South Bengal and Guwahati) have begun under management of BGB Jashore Region headquarter. It would end on Sunday, said Public Relation Officer of the BGB headquarters here Md Shariful Islam.
Read: Regional commander-level meeting in progress between BGB and BSF
Region Commander of BGB's Jashore Region Headquarters Brigadier General Omar Sadi is leading an 18-member Bangladesh delegation, while Inspector General (IG) of India's BSF South Bengal Frontier Dr. Atul Fulzele leads a six- member Indian delegation in the conference.
Apart from senior BGB officials, the Bangladesh delegation also includes officials from the Home Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Department of Narcotics Control and the Department of Land Records and Survey.
Read: 10 held by BGB for 'illegally entry'
The conference is expected to have fruitful discussions on cross border security issues like border killings, illegal entry, other smuggling including drugs, various border crimes including trafficking of women and children, and various development activities within 150 yards of the international border. Besides, issues related of development of existing bilateral relations between the two countries and various initiatives to enhance mutual trust between BGB and BSF will be also discussed in the conference.