Charges framed Against Dr Iqbal

The First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court, Dhaka, yesterday framed charges against former Awami League (AL) lawmaker Dr HBM Iqbal and 29 others in a foreign currency smuggling case.

The other accused are businessman Dr Musa-bin-Shamser, AL leader Noor Ali, directors of M/S Rahmania Travels Limited Mohammad Azizur Rahman and Shamiur Rahman, Abdul Baten Bhuiyan, Kamal Ahmed Chowdhury, Mohammad Sirajul Haq, Mohammad Riazul Islam, Dr Mohammad Arif, Lutfor Rahman, Farid Akhter, Aziz Begh, Abul Kashem, MA Bashar, Mohammad Yusuf, Manzur Kadir, Mahmud Hassan, AKM Muhit, Abu Bakkar, Miah Mohammad Noor Uddin, Mohammad Mobarak, Gazi Mohammad Arshad, Faruk Hassan, Mizanur Rahman alias Sweet, Abdur Rahim, Mohammad Bulbul, Atiqul Haq, Mohammad Moshiur Rahman and Mohammad Arifur Rahman Selim.

Ali Asgar Lobi, BNP lawmaker and president of Bangladesh Cricket Board, also an accused in the case, was not present in the court yesterday. The court fixed March 25 for hearing on charge-framing against him.

Dr Iqbal and 11 others were present in the court. They pleaded not guilty and demanded justice before the court after the charges were framed against them. The rest 18 others have been absconding since the charge sheet was submitted before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on May 13, 1986.

According to the prosecution, the accused in connivance with others collected Saudi rials equvalent toTk 92 crore from Bangladeshis working in Saudi Arabia in the name of sending them to their relatives in Bangladesh through M/S Rahmania Travels Limited in the year of 1982-1985. But they exchanged riyals with dollars and pounds and sent those to other countries through TT, MT and DD instead of sending to the relatives of Bangladeshi expatriates. As a result, the relatives of the Bangladeshi expatriates were deprived of getting the money and it caused a financial loss to the government.

The Bureau of Anti Corruption (Bac) filed a criminal case with Motijheel Police Station, accusing Azizur Rahman and six others on November 6, 1985.

Later, the investigation officer included the names of Dr Iqbal, Noor Ali, Dr Musa-bin-Shamser, Ali Asgar Lobi and 21 others in the charge sheet as the investigation revealed their involvement.