Shyamoli Paribahan staffers jailed for drug peddling

A Chittagong court has sentenced a driver and supervisor of Shyamoli Paribahan to 10 years and the helper to five years in prison respectively for transporting yaba pills. 

In the same verdict, all of them were sentenced to six months more in prison for the non-payment of a fine of Tk5,000 slapped to each of the convicts.

The court of Chittagong 4th Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Shariful Alam Bhunya passed the verdict on Monday afternoon.

The convicts are: bus driver Md Sabuj, 32, supervisor Palash Mandal, 26, and helper Nasir Hawladar, 30.

Although the driver and helper were present during the verdict, the supervisor was on the run after securing bail from the High Court (HC).

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) Anupam Chakraborty of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court said the court had sentenced the Shyamoli Paribahan bus driver and supervisor to 10 years in prison and the helper to five years in prison and fined them Tk5,000 each. Another six months of imprisonment has been given for the non-payment of the fine.

He added, "Charges were framed against the three on September 6, 2020." The court pronounced the verdict on Monday after a total of 10 witnesses were found guilty.

According to court sources, RAB signaled to stop the Shyamoli Business Class passenger bus – Dhaka Metro-B 14-974 – leaving Cox's Bazar for Dhaka on June 29, 2016, at around 3pm in front of the Kotwali police station Beach Hotel.

Seeing the RAB team, the driver, supervisor, and helper left the bus and tried to escape, but soon after were detained. 

After searching the bus and the convicts total 19,000 yaba pills were recovered. 

A case was filed against them under the Narcotics Act with the Kotwali police station following the arrest.