The High Court (HC) on Tuesday ordered an investigation into allegations of a large-scale fraud involving K-Telecom, a company linked to the family of Awami League leader Shamim Osman. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police and the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) have been directed to conduct the probe and submit their findings within 90 days. The order was issued following the preliminary hearing of a writ petition filed by an affected individual, Sakhawat Hossain. A High Court bench comprising Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Shikdar Mahmudur Raji also issued a rule questioning why the authorities' failure to take action on the petitioner’s request should not be declared illegal. The court has instructed the secretary of the posts and telecommunications ministry, the home secretary, the BTRC chairman, the registrar of joint stock companies, the governor of Bangladesh Bank, the chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the CID chief, the inspector general of police (IGP), the officer-in-charge (OC) of Banani Police Station, and five members of Shamim Osman’s family to respond to the rule within four weeks. Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir represented the petitioner in court. The writ petition was filed based on a report published in a national daily on January 14, titled “Tk 126 crore owed to govt: Osman family's unthinkable fraudulence." According to the newspaper report, Sakhawat Hossain, who operates a small travel agency from a rented office in Fakirapool, Dhaka, was falsely listed as a shareholder and Managing Director of K-Telecom, later renamed International Voice Tel Ltd. This company held an International Gateway (IGW) licence, enabling it to handle international call traffic to Bangladesh. Court orders freezing of 31 bank accounts belonging to Hasina, family BTRC records indicate that K-Telecom owes over Tk 126 crore to the government. To evade this liability, BTRC has filed a lawsuit against the company’s owners. However, Sakhawat claims he was unaware of his involvement until BTRC officials, accompanied by local police, visited his ancestral home in Rangunia, Chattogram, on October 18 last year. The company was originally owned by the family of former MP Shamim Osman. His wife, Salma Osman, and son, Imtinan Osman, obtained K-Telecom’s IGW licence in 2012 for a 15-year period. Additionally, Shamim Osman’s brother-in-law Tanvir Ahmed and close associates Joynal Abedin Molla and Jahangir Hossain Molla held stakes in the company. Documents reveal that on August 4, 2013, the Osman family transferred ownership of K-Telecom to three individuals—Sakhawat Hossain, Debabrata Choudhury, a schoolteacher from Sylhet, and Rakibul Islam, an office assistant from Bogura—without their knowledge or consent. All three claim they had no prior knowledge of this transaction and that their names were used fraudulently. BTRC and other sources allege that the Osman family hurriedly transferred ownership to avoid repaying the government dues. The process involved falsified documents and fake photographs. Concerns have been raised over potential collusion between regulatory authorities and the Osman family. Following the fall of the Awami League government on August 05 last year, the Osman family has reportedly gone into hiding. Efforts to obtain comments from Shamim Osman have been unsuccessful. After Awami League came to power in 2009, several IGW licences were issued, making international call termination a lucrative business. Among the beneficiaries were party leaders such as Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Shamsul Haque Tuku, and Shamim Osman. Licence holders were required to pay a fee and share a portion of their revenue with BTRC. However, many companies allegedly failed to make these payments and eventually shut down operations. Court freezes 21 bank accounts linked to P.K. Halder's associates BTRC records indicate that six IGW companies collectively owe the government over Tk 921 crore. The regulator filed a case against K-Telecom on June 22, 2014 to recover its dues. Investigators visited the newly listed 'owners' in 2023 and 2024. Rakibul Islam, one of the individuals fraudulently listed as a shareholder, said he had no idea how he became an owner of K-Telecom. He worked at a garment factory in Savar from 2006 to 2017 and is now employed as an office assistant at a small contracting firm in Bogura. In May 2024, BTRC officials visited his home to verify his identity and financial status. He suspects his National ID card was misused for this fraudulent transaction. He also revealed that his ID had been used previously to open unauthorised mobile financial service (MFS) accounts. Debabrata Choudhury, a government schoolteacher in Sylhet’s Golapganj area, was arrested in February 2023 after BTRC traced his name to the company records. Following protests by his students, he was released on a written undertaking the next day. He has been employed at MC Academy since 2003 and lives in a rented two-room flat with his wife in Sylhet city.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed a case against former Narayanganj-4 lawmaker Shamim Osman and his family members for illegally amassing wealth and engaging in money laundering. ACC Deputy Director Jalal Uddin Ahmed filed the case at the ACC’s Narayanganj district office on Wednesday. Shamim Osman’s wife, Salma Osman Lipi, who is the chairperson of K Telecommunications Limited, along with the company’s Managing Director and Shamim’s brother-in-law, Tanvir Ahmed, have been named as accused in the case. They are alleged to have laundered and embezzled over Tk 193 crore.

A case of attempted murder has been filed against 145 Awami League leaders and activists, including former MP Shamim Osman and Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj. Another 400-500 unnamed individuals have also been accused in the case. The victim, Arif Mia, filed the case at Siddhirganj Police Station following the court’s instructions on Friday night. HC order declaring ‘Joy Bangla’ as national slogan suspended Other accused individuals include Jatiya Party Secretary General Md. Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Siddhirganj Thana unit Awami League General Secretary Haji Yasin Mia, former president of Narayanganj Club Asib Hasan Mahmud, and several others. According to the case details, on July 19 at 2:30 pm, students and the common people, including the plaintiff, were protesting in front of Pro-Active Medical College & Hospital during anti-discrimination movement. Writ seeks investigations into graft allegations against 51 judicial staff, inc judges During the protest, the accused allegedly opened fire on the demonstrators. Arif Mia was shot in the right knee when the gun was aimed directly at him. He was immediately taken to Islamia Hospital by people at the scene. Mohammad Shahinur Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Siddhirganj Police Station, said the case has been registered under the court’s orders, and efforts are ongoing to arrest the accused.

Narayanganj-4 MP Shamim Osman on Sunday hailed the fair and peaceful holding of Narayanganj City Corporation election as a big achievement. After casting his vote at the last moment after 3pm Shamim said the election in Narayanganj was fair and disciplined. Even the candidates said they were satisfied with how peacefully the election underwent, he said. He came to Adarsha School center by a rickshaw following election code, he said expressing his satisfaction by voting in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Also read: NCC polls: Voting ends peacefully, counting begins “Saying election is turbulent has become a fashion of media” he remarked.

The ruling Awami League candidate in the upcoming Narayanganj City Corporation, two-time mayor Selina Hayat Ivy has said that Taimur Alam Khandaker, who is contesting the NCC election as an independent candidate, is actually a candidate of 'godfather' Shamim Osman. She made the remarks during electioneering in Deuli Chourapara area on Friday. Ivy’s remark on Shamim Osman has become the talk of the town. Wishing anonymity, some people said that the overall situation was good ahead of polls but after Ivy's comment can change the environment. A college teacher said it is not understandable why she (Ivy) made this comment on her own party’s member Shamim. Read: Dialogue's focus on election 'manipulation', alleges BNP MP Shamim Osman refused to comment right now, adding he will speak in details on Monday in a press briefing. A senior BNP leader said Ivy was elected mayor in 2011 with our votes. At that time, she was vying against Shamim Osman. Now people understand the propaganda that our candidate is being called the candidate of Shamim Osman and Selim Osman. Taimur Alam is the candidate of the people of Narayanganj city, the BNP leader added. A local businessman said “We want a peaceful election. No clash is expected during the election.’’ Earlier this day, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of the ruling Awami League (AL), dissolved its Narayanganj city unit committee. Read:Talks on EC to go nowhere: BNP  The decision to dissolve the city unit committee was taken at a meeting of BCL's executive body, as per an official press release. The Narayanganj City Corporation polls are scheduled to be held on January 16.