[🇧🇩] The fate of big guns/beneficiaries of Awami League after the student revolution

[Saif]

ACC asked to freeze bank accounts of ex-DGFI chief Hamidul

The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court on Monday allowed the Anti-Corruption Commission to freeze four bank accounts of former director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence Major General (retired) Hamidul Hoque over allegations of corruption...

www.newagebd.net

ACC asked to freeze bank accounts of ex-DGFI chief Hamidul
Staff Correspondent 07 July, 2025, 23:57

The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court on Monday allowed the Anti-Corruption Commission to freeze four bank accounts of former director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence Major General (retired) Hamidul Hoque over allegations of corruption.

The court also imposed a travel ban on Md Hazrat Ali, a retired chief engineer of the Power Development Board over allegations of amassing illegal wealth.

Judge Md Jakir Hossain of the court, responding to a petition by ACC assistant director Nawshad Ali, allowed the ACC to seize four accounts of Hamidul Hoque at Pubali Bank.

According to the petition, the ACC received information that Hamidul Hoque and his associates were attempting to withdraw or transfer the money from the accounts, potentially obstructing the inquiry.

Earlier, on April 21, the court imposed a travel ban on Hamidul and his wife, Nusrat Jahan Mukta, as part of the same inquiry.

The court, responding to a petition submitted by ACC deputy director Nazmul Islam, also issued a travel ban on Md Hazrat Ali, a retired chief engineer of the PDB.

The ACC, in the petition, stated that Hazrat Ali was under inquiry over allegations of amassing illegal wealth through corruption and irregularities and there was credible information that Hazrat might attempt to flee the country to avoid legal proceedings.

The court also ordered the ACC to seize assets and bank accounts of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s former assistant private secretary Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku in connection with a graft case.

The court passed the order responding to a petition filed by ACC assistant director Rakibul Haiyat.

The court asked the ACC to seize Hafizur’s three-katha plot in the capital’s Uttara and his 14 decimal land in Gopalganj.

The court also asked the ACC to freeze a bank account, a credit card of Standard Chartered Bank and savings certificates worth Tk 5 lakh.

On January 13, the ACC filed a case against Gazi Hafizur Rahman on charges of amassing illegal assets worth Tk 52.32 lakh, and conducting suspicious transactions of Tk 144.59 crore in his 33 bank accounts.​

 

[Saif]

Former ICT minister Palak breaks down in tears inside courtroom

Former State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak broke down in tears today, Wednesday, while standing in the dock of Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court. As police escorted him out of the courtroom, a journalist asked, “Palak Bhai, why did you...

en.prothomalo.com

Former ICT minister Palak breaks down in tears inside courtroom
Asaduzzaman Dhaka
Updated: 09 Jul 2025, 21: 32

Former State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak broke down in tears at the courtroom on 9 July. Asaduzzaman

Former State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak broke down in tears today, Wednesday, while standing in the dock of Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court.

As police escorted him out of the courtroom, a journalist asked, “Palak Bhai, why did you cry today?”

Palak remained silent and did not respond to any questions from reporters. He was shown arrested today in a murder case filed with Jatrabari Police Station.

Detained leaders stay in the same prison building
On 5 August last year, the government of Sheikh Hasina was overthrown following a mass student-led uprising. On 13 August, the police announced the arrest of Salman F Rahman, former advisor on private investment and industry to Sheikh Hasina, and Anisul Huq, the former law minister. Both were detained from Sadarghat in Dhaka.

According to their lawyers, Salman and Anisul are being held in the same prison building in Dhaka Central Jail, located in Keraniganj. While they are kept in separate cells, they are housed within the same prison block and transported together to court in the same prison van.

Others housed in the Champakoli block of Dhaka Central Jail include former ministers Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzaque, Qamrul Islam, former Dhaka North mayor Atiqul Islam, and former bureaucrats Jahangir Alam, Helal Uddin Ahmed, Mohibul Haque, and Nozibur Rahman.

Anisul’s lawyer, Asifur Rahman, told Prothom Alo that none of Anisul’s close relatives are currently in the country, so he visits him every 15 days. In prison, Anisul spends his time reading newspapers, religious and law books.

Salman F Rahman is being escorted to the CMM Court on 9 July Prothom Alo

Salman’s lawyer said the same about his client that no close family members are currently in Bangladesh. Salman also spends his time reading religious books and newspapers.

Senior Jail Superintendent Suraiya Akhter said that Salman, Anisul, and around 60 other first-class prisoners are housed in the same block. They do not mix with general inmates but see each other regularly.

According to jail rules, first-class inmates are allowed visits from close family members every 15 days, and they receive special meals, including fish and meat.

On Pahela Baishakh, they were served panta and hilsa, and on both Eid festivals, meat was provided.

Salman and Anisul were brought from prison to the Dhaka CMM Court today and shown arrested in the Jatrabari murder case.

Appearance in court
At 10:25am, they stood side by side in the dock, speaking quietly to each other. Seven minutes later, former Education Minister Dipu Moni was also brought to the dock. She began speaking with Palak, and then moved toward Salman, greeting him and then talking with Anisul as well. At this point, the judge had not yet entered the courtroom.

The judge arrived at 10:35am. Police then filed petitions to show Salman, Anisul, Dipu Moni, Amir Hossain Amu, and Palak arrested in separate murder cases filed at the Jatrabari police station.

Even during the hearing, Salman, Anisul, and Dipu Moni continued talking among themselves in low voices.

At one point, a police officer called out Salman’s name. Salman raised his right hand to ensure his presence.

Palak in tears
While the others were talking, Palak kept looking toward the courtroom balcony, where one of his relatives was standing. He tried to communicate with the relative through gestures.

Suddenly, Palak began to cry, wiping away his tears with his right hand. Then, head lowered and visibly emotional, he stood silently in the dock.

After the hearing to show the accused arrested, helmets were placed on each of them before being escorted away at 10:55am. Except for Amu and Dipu Moni, the rest had their hands cuffed behind their backs.

Palak, Salman, and Anisul all stood silently with their heads lowered.

As Palak was being escorted out of the courtroom, a journalist again asked him why he cried—but he remained silent.

While Palak was being led down from the fifth floor of the courthouse, Salman was right behind him. Seeing Salman, an onlooker became visibly agitated and hurled insults at him. Salman kept his head down and walked down the stairs quietly.

Dipu Moni is being escorted to the CMM Court on 9 July

Amu followed Salman, assisted by two constables holding him by the arms. Dipu Moni came last, head bowed, as she descended the stairs.

Her lawyer, Faisal Gazi, told Prothom Alo that Dipu Moni is currently held in Kashimpur women’s prison, where she passes her time reading newspapers and religious texts.​

 

[Saif]

Court orders freezing assests of S Alam Group chair, family in Singapore

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 64 bank accounts and shares in 10 companies registered in the names of Mohammad Saiful Alam, Chairman of S Alam Group, and his family members in Singapore. The order was issued on Thursday by Acting Judge Mohammad Ibrahim Mia of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sess

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Court orders freezing assests of S Alam Group chair, family in Singapore

FE Online Desk
Published :
Jul 10, 2025 19:54
Updated :
Jul 10, 2025 20:24

A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 64 bank accounts and shares in 10 companies registered in the names of Mohammad Saiful Alam, Chairman of S Alam Group, and his family members in Singapore.

The order was issued on Thursday by Acting Judge Mohammad Ibrahim Mia of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court, following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The ACC, in the petition, claimed that the assets were obtained using laundered funds from illegal activities and urged the court to impose an injunction to block any transfer or disposal of the assets.

As per the court order, the frozen assets include 40 bank accounts in Saiful Alam’s name, six in the name of his wife Farzana Parveen, and shares in eight companies registered under their names in Singapore.

Additionally, seven bank accounts and one company share held by their son Ashraful Alam, seven bank accounts and one company share held by another son Ahsanul Alam, one bank account held by son Asadul Alam Mahir, two bank accounts held by brother-in-law Ahmed Belal, and one account held by sister Maimuna Khanom have been frozen.​

 

[Saif]

Economist Barkat held in graft case

Economist Prof Abul Barkat was arrested in the capital last night in a case filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission.

www.thedailystar.net

Economist Barkat held in graft case

Prof Abul Barkat

Economist Prof Abul Barkat was arrested in the capital last night in a case filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch arrested him around 11:30pm at his home on Dhanmondi Road-3 .

"As per Anti-Corruption Commission's request, the DB team conducted a drive and arrested him," Mohammad Nasirul Islam, joint commissioner (South) of DMP DB told The Daily Star.

"We will hand him over to ACC tomorrow morning," he added.

Prof Abul Barkat is a former chairman of the state-owned Janata Bank PLC.

In February, the ACC filed a case alleging that during his tenure as chairman, Abul Barkat was involved in loan fraud involving AnonTex Group, a ready-made garments company, resulting in the embezzlement of Tk 297 crore from Janata Bank.

The case names 23 individuals as accused, including Abul Barkat, former Janata Bank director Jamal Uddin Ahmed, and former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman.

Atiur was the BB governor from 2005 to 2015.

Barkat, former president of the Bangladesh Economic Association and a faculty member at Dhaka University, was appointed chairman of Janata Bank on September 9, 2009, for a three-year term.

He served two consecutive terms, completing five years in the position before stepping down in September 2014.

Earlier, the ACC investigated the same incident of money embezzlement and closed the case in 2022, citing a lack of evidence against the accused.​

 

[Saif]

Ex-law minister Anisul sent to jail in arms case

A Dhaka court on Friday sent former law minister Anisul Huq to jail after end of his two-day remand in a case lodged under The Arms Act with the city’s Banani Police Station. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Hasibuzzaman passed the order as police produced him before the court after the end

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Ex-law minister Anisul sent to jail in arms case

BSS
Published :
Jul 11, 2025 17:51
Updated :
Jul 11, 2025 17:51

A Dhaka court on Friday sent former law minister Anisul Huq to jail after end of his two-day remand in a case lodged under The Arms Act with the city’s Banani Police Station.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Hasibuzzaman passed the order as police produced him before the court after the end of his remand and pleaded to keep him behind bars till the end of probe in the case.

Earlier on July 7 last, the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Minahajul Islam had placed Anisul on the two-day remand.

According to the case documents, the government, through a circular issued on August 25, 2024, had suspended the arms licenses granted between January 6, 2009 and August 5, 2024 and instructed the licensed arms holders to deposit their firearms and ammunition at the nearest police station by September 3, 2024. If any arms and ammunition are not deposited within the stipulated time, those will be treated as illegal, and cases will be filed accordingly.

Police filed the case against Anisul Huq on May 24, 2025, as there was no information on whether the former law minister had surrendered his licensed weapon in line with the August 25, 2024 circular and none was found in the address given on the arms license.

Anisul Huq was arrested from the capital’s Sadarghat area on August 13, 2024 as he, along with Salman F Rahman, was trying to flee the city through the riverway. He has been shown arrested and subsequently placed on different terms of remand in many cases lodged over the crimes committed during the July-August mass uprising.​

 

[Saif]

Ex-chief justice Khairul sent to jail

A Dhaka court has ordered former chief justice and former Law Commission chairman ABM Khairul Hauque into jail pending trial in a case over the murder of a Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal activist during the July Uprising. On Thursday night, Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sanaulla

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Ex-chief justice Khairul sent to jail

bdnews24.com
Published :
Jul 24, 2025 21:45
Updated :
Jul 24, 2025 21:45

A Dhaka court has ordered former chief justice and former Law Commission chairman ABM Khairul Hauque into jail pending trial in a case over the murder of a Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal activist during the July Uprising.

On Thursday night, Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sanaullah issued the order after hearing arguments from both sides.

Around 7:45pm, Khairul was brought to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court and placed in the court’s holding cell. Police requested that he be kept in jail custody.

Khairul had been arrested earlier on Thursday by the Detective Branch of police at his Dhanmondi home.

He was shown arrested in a case filed on Jul 6 this year over the fatal shooting of Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kaiyum Ahad during anti-discrimination protests last year.

Ahad died on Jul 18, 2024, after being shot during clashes in the Kajla area of Jatrabari amid the nationwide movement demanding equal rights and non-discriminatory state policy.

The murder case was filed by Ahad’s father, Alauddin, with Jatrabari Police Station. A total of 467 people were named as accused in the case, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.​

 

[Saif]

Ex-Chief Justice Khairul Haque in dock for 40 mins, handcuffed

Army members took up positions outside the court. Moments later, Khairul Haque was escorted out of the lockup—not via the main road, but through an internal route within the court premises. As he neared the stairway, he was visibly in handcuffs, with his hands behind his back. He wore a...

en.prothomalo.com

Ex-Chief Justice Khairul Haque in dock for 40 mins, handcuffed
Asaduzzaman Dhaka
Updated: 25 Jul 2025, 20: 42

Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque at the court on 24 July 2025Prothom Alo

It was 8:00 pm. A blue prison van, whistles loudly being blown, entered the main gate of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Old Dhaka via the Rayshaheb Bazar intersection.

As the van entered, leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum began chanting slogans demanding the punishment of former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque.

The vehicle swiftly made its way into the court’s lockup area.

While the former Chief Justice remained in lockup, members of the Forum continued their demonstrations right outside the detention block, demanding his punishment.

Head of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s prosecution division, Deputy Commissioner Tarek Zubair, entered through the court’s main gate and issued strict instructions to police personnel to prevent any untoward incidents. Following this, all entrances to the court were shut.

Members of the army took up position outside the court. Moments later, Khairul Haque was escorted out of the lockup, not via the main road, but through an inner route within the court premises.

As he neared the stairs, he was seen with hands cuffed behind his back. He wore a police’s bulletproof vest over a white shirt and black trousers, with leather sandals on his feet. Two police officers assisted him as he ascended to the third floor, leaning on them for balance. Once upstairs, he was placed in the dock.

While standing in the dock, a police officer attempted to remove his handcuffs. The former chief justice stood with his head bowed. At that time a police officer unfastened the cuff on his right wrist; it was dangling from his hand. He remained silent, head lowered, in front of an audience of over 100 members of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum and several state prosecutors.

At 8:10 pm, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sanaullah entered the courtroom from his chamber. The former chief justice looked up briefly, then bowed his head again.

Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque was the chief architect of turning Sheikh Hasina into a fascist. He nullified the 13th Amendment, misused the verdict through forgery, and abolished the caretaker government system, thus enabling Hasina’s autocracy. He’s a stain on the judiciary and has acted no differently than an Awami League party activist
Khorshed Alam, former president of the Dhaka Bar Association.

Earlier that morning, Khairul Haque had been arrested from his Dhanmondi residence—the first time in Bangladesh’s history that a former Chief Justice had been taken into custody. Later, he was taken to the office of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

‘Acted like a party activist’
Jubo Dal activist Abdul Kaiyum was killed during the demonstrations of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the public in the capital’s Jatrabari area on 18 July last year. Khairul Haque is one of the accused in the murder case filed at Jatrabari police station.

The case’s investigation officer, inspector Khaled Hasan, submitted a written petition to the court seeking Khairul Haque’s detention.

In a written petition, he accused Khairul Haque of repeated breaches of trust, forgery and even acts of sedition through misrepresentation of judicial verdicts while serving as the chief justice from 2011. He mentioned pending cases against the former CJ in Bandar and Fatullah police stations in Chattogram for sedition, and another in Dhaka’s Shahbagh for violating his oath of office while in office.

The investigation officer told the court, “The accused is a highly influential person. Granting him bail could obstruct the investigation and incite unrest among students, citizens, and political groups. Therefore, I request the court to keep him in custody until the trial concludes.”

Speaking on behalf of the complainant, Khorshed Alam—former president of the Dhaka Bar Association and president of the Dhaka Bar unit of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum—told the court, “Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque was the chief architect of turning Sheikh Hasina into a fascist. He nullified the 13th Amendment, misused the verdict through forgery, and abolished the caretaker government system, thus enabling Hasina’s autocracy. He’s a stain on the judiciary and has acted no differently than an Awami League party activist.”

Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque at the court on 24 July 2025 Prothom Alo

He added, “The judiciary is the last refuge for the people. Because of party-aligned judges like him, public trust in the judiciary has been eroded.”

As Khorshed Alam spoke, the former chief justice stood silently in the dock, head lowered, his expression reflecting despair.

He went on to say, “By abolishing the caretaker system, former chief justice Khairul Haque turned Bangladesh into a hell. BNP is a democratic party. We’ve been directed by the party’s top leadership that none of our activists must physically harm the former chief justice.”

“The way people loathe fascist Sheikh Hasina, in the same manner they detest this former chief justice as well. We thank the interim government for arresting the person most responsible for killing democracy. But why was he brought to court at night? Because during the day, had the public known, they would’ve flooded the courtroom,” he continued.

Khorshed Alam maintained, “We think, during the student-people uprising, fascist Sheikh Hasina’s law enforcement agencies and her goons shot dead unarmed students and civilians. She is facing murder charges for these killings. We think Khairul Haque should also be made an accused in each one. We believe in the rule of law. That is why, we have not, and will not, dishonour him physically. But he acted as a partisan judge.”

He also alleged that Khairul Haque was the key player behind evicting former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from her home. “If he had not repealed the 13th Amendment, if the caretaker system had remained, the current political disaster could’ve been avoided. Sheikh Hasina also could not have turned into an autocrat” he added.

Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque at the court on 24 July 2025 Prothom Alo

Another Forum leader and current president of the Dhaka Bar’s ad-hoc committee, Khorshed Alam Mia, addressed the court, “Your Honour, we’ve been in the legal profession for 40 years. Retired judges are also supposed to retain respect. But Khairul Haque has sinned greatly. His arrest is a partial act of atonement. He is singularly responsible for Sheikh Hasina’s transformation into a fascist ruler. Over the past 17 years, hundreds of opposition leaders and activists have been abducted, killed, or forced into exile. This former chief justice is the mastermind behind that repression.”

As he spoke, the lawyers present began chanting: “Your Honour, he is a disgrace to the judiciary!”

Additional public prosecutors Azizul Haque and Abul Kalam Khan also argued in favour of detaining Haque.

Sudden black-out at courtroom
At 8:30 pm, power in the courtroom was suddenly cut, plunging the room into darkness. Lawyers turned on the torches on their phones. Khairul Haque stepped back within the dock as several police officers surrounded him.

During the prosecution’s arguments, Haque looked up at the magistrate but then lowered his gaze as he listened to the accusations in silence. He had no defence lawyer representing him.

Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque at the court on 24 July 2025 Prothom Alo

At the end of the arguments by the plaintiff’s lawyers, the court ruled, “As no bail petition has been filed and the prosecution has applied for keeping him in custody, the accused is to be detained in custody.”

Upon hearing the order, Khairul Haque kept his head bowed. At that time, a police officer approached, and Khairul Haque placed his hands behind his back once again. The handcuffs were reapplied, and a helmet placed on his head. Two officers supported him as he descended the stairs.

On the stairs, as he reached the second floor, a deep sadness could be read on his face.

Slowly and silently, leaning on the police members, he was taken back to the lockup via an internal court passage.

It was then 9:00 pm. Khairul Haque was placed back in the prison van, which departed for Keraniganj Central Jail.​

 

[Saif]

Govt’s making poor case for former chief justice

THE police arrested former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque at Dhanmondi in Dhaka in the morning on July 24. A court in the evening sent him to jail in connection with a case filed on July 6, 2025 with the Jatrabari police for the murder of a young man, shot dead...

www.newagebd.net

Govt’s making poor case for former chief justice
26 July, 2025, 00:00

THE police arrested former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque at Dhanmondi in Dhaka in the morning on July 24. A court in the evening sent him to jail in connection with a case filed on July 6, 2025 with the Jatrabari police for the murder of a young man, shot dead in the Kajla area in the capital during the uprising on July 18, 2024. Khairul Haque is the 44th accused of the case. There are a horde of allegations, including financial fraudulence, judicial misconduct and moral depravity, against him. The prominent among them is the judicial misconduct in the appeals court verdict that involved the caretaker government system, introduced by way of the 13th amendment to the constitution on March 28, 1996 for the holding of general elections. The open-court verdict of May 10, 2011, which declared the caretaker government illegal, said that the 10th and 11th parliamentary elections could still be held under a caretaker government, but the final written verdict, released on September 16, 2012 after Khairul Haque’s retirement, noted that only elected lawmakers could form such a government and the observation on the likely continuation of the caretaker government for two more times was dropped.

This was the single-biggest event that left far-reaching implications on the peaceful transition of power, laid the consensus arrived at in 1996 waste and allowed the Awami League government to emerge as an authoritarian regime for a decade and a half in the absence of rightful power transition. Besides such moral depravity, which also constitutes a political and legal crime, there are allegations of financial fraudulence against him. Khairul Haque received Tk 3.9 million from the funds of the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina for overseas medical treatment, which happened shortly after the caretaker government verdict. Khairul Haque, who was appointed chief justice on September 27, 2010 to assume office three days later and who retired on May 17, 2011, became the chair of the Law Commission on July 13, 2013 in breach of his own verdict that retired judges would remain disqualified from holding office of profit after their retirement. And he had held onto the position until his resignation on August 13, 2024 after being reappointed to the position three times. This is unfortunate that with such grave allegations levelled against him, the government arrested him in an uprising murder case, typical of many other cases involving Awami League-era big names post the uprising.

Whilst this reflects the incapability of the government in proper case formulation, this also pushes the government off the point and lessens the gravity of the crimes. We do not support such government efforts. And, Bangladesh must come out of this culture.​