9 including former MD of Sonali Bank sentenced to 17 years’ jail

A court has sentenced nine people, including a former managing director (MD) of Sonali Bank, to 17 years in prison under two separate sections. A court has sentenced them for embezzling Tk 27 lakh from Sonali Bank through loan fraud.

Judge Mohammad Iqbal Hossain of Dhaka's Special Sessions Judge's Court No. 5 handed down the verdict on Wednesday (May 25).

The accused are Humayun Kabir, former MD of the bank, Mainul Haque, deputy managing director, GM Nani Gopal Nath, DGM Sheikh Altaf Hossain and Safiz Uddin Ahmed, AGM Kamrul Hossain Khan and Saiful Hasan and Saiful Islam Raja, MD and director of Paragon Knit Composite Limited and director Abdullah Al. Mamun.

Each of them has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and fined Tk 27 lakh 50 thousand 681 for embezzling government property. This money has to be deposited by everyone in favor of the state at the same rate.

Each was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined Tk 50,000 for fraud and will have to spend another three months in jail for non-payment. The sentence of the two sections will run simultaneously. In that case, the convicts will have to serve 10 years in prison, the lawyers said.

DMD Mainul Haque, AGM Safiz Uddin Ahmed, DGM Sheikh Altaf Hossain and AGM Kamrul Hossain Khan were present in the court while the verdict was announced. After the verdict, they were sent to jail with sentencing warrants. The court issued arrest warrants against the other five accused as they were absconding.

ACC Deputy Assistant Director Mujibur Rahman filed the case with Ramna Model Police Station on January 1, 2013, alleging embezzlement of Tk 27 lakh 50 thousand 681. After investigating the case, the ACC filed a chargesheet in the court on May 22, 2014.