Barishal ex-mayor jailed for 7 years

Former Barishal City Corporation mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal and four others were yesterday sentenced to seven years in prison in a corruption case filed over embezzlement of Tk 45 lakh.

Barishal Divisional Special Judge Mohsinul Haque handed down the verdict in presence of the accused.

The court also fined Kamal, former fisheries affairs secretary of BNP central committee, and one Zakir Hossain, a contractor, Tk 1 crore each.

The three other convicts are Md Ishahak, former executive engineer of Barishal municipality; Khan Nurul Islam, former assistant engineer of the municipality and current supervising engineer of the city corporation; and Abdus Sattar, former deputy assistant engineer of the municipality. 

Abdul Baset, the then district officer of Anti-Corruption Corporation, filed the case against them with Kotwali Model  Police Station on October 11, 2000. 

He said the accused were in charge  of Barisal municipality at the time of the incident. Kamal and others embezzled the money in name of repairing roads and recruiting fake contractors for the work, he said in the case statement. 

On July 19, 2011, ACC assistant director MH  Rahmatullah filed the charge sheet against the accused.

Yesterday, Advocate Masudul Haque Khan represented the state while Advocate Mannan Akon, Advocate Mujibur  Rahman Nantu and Advocate Saeed Ahmed Madhu appeared for the accused. After the verdict, the accused were sent to  Barishal Central Jail.

Meanwhile, a tense situation was created in the court area after the verdict. BNP-backed lawyers  demonstrated on the premises, demanding Kamal's release.

Law enforcers eventually brought the situation under control.