A court of Chittagong has sentenced four persons including two former officials of Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) to 10 years imprisonment on charge of embezzling Tk2.40 crore from Bangladesh Tea Board’s Krishi Bank branch in Chittagong.
Chittagong Divisional Special Judge Court’s judge Mir Ruhul Amin handed down the verdict on Sunday after the court found guilty against the four persons beyond doubt, said Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor (PP) advocate Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury.
The convicted persons were Bangladesh Krishi Bank’s Chittagong Tea Board Branch’s former manager Shahed Hasan and its second officer Mir Kashem, M/S Fish Home’s official’s Saidul Haque and its accountant Dipak Chowhdury.
All the convicted were on the run after walking out on bail from jail, added the ACC’s lawyer.
“The court also fined the convicted Tk60 lakh each, in default, to suffer one year jail more and asked the district collector to realise the money from convicts’ movable and immovable properties,” said advocate Mezbah.
According to the prosecution, the four convicts had embezzled Tk2.40 crore selling the export-quality goods of M/S Fish Home’s limited’s warehouse which were kept as mortgage to the Krishi Bank’s Tea Board branch violating the bank’s rules.
Later, the branch manager of the bank’s Akikur Rahman Chowhdury filed a case with Panchlaish police station in September 24, 1992 accusing them. Criminal Investigation Department (CID)’s Inspector Tarapad Sikdar conducted probe into the case and submitted the charge sheet to the court in January 15, 1998.
After 12 years the court had pressed the charge sheet accusing the four in June 23, 2010.
