Bismillah Group officials get 10 years in jail

A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced nine Bismillah Group executives, including its Managing Director Khaza Solaiman Anwar Chowdhury, his wife and the Chairperson of the company Nowrin Hasib, to ten years' rigorous imprisonment in a case filed over laundering Tk 15.33 crore.

This is the first verdict among the 12 cases filed against Bismillah Group for money laundering and corruption.

Judge Md Atabullah of the Special Judge's Court-10 of Dhaka handed down the sentence in absence of the convicts.

The other convicts are Shafiqul Anwar Chowdhury, Akbar Aziz Muttakin, Abul Hashem Chowdhury, Riazuddin Ahmed, Akbar Hossain, Mustaque Ahmed Khan and SM Shoabul Kabir.

In November 2013, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case with New Market Police Station accusing the Group's nine officials of laundering Tk 15.33 crore.

A total of 12 cases were filed against 54 officials of the company on charges of fraud, money laundering and corruption.

The ACC pressed charges against them in 2015.