Sohel Rana's mother jailed for corruption

A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced Rana Plaza owner Sohel Rana's mother to six years' imprisonment for amassing wealth illegally and concealing her wealth information.

The court also fined Morzina Begum Tk 20,000 and further ordered confiscation of over Tk 6.67 crore and one-third of her property on Savar Bazar road.

Judge KM Imrul Kayes of the Special Judge Court-6 delivered the verdict in her presence.

This is the first time, one of the family members of Sohel Rana, was convicted.

On 12 April in 2015, Anti-Corruption Commission filed a case with Ramna Police Station against Morzina for allegedly amassing wealth illegally and giving false wealth statement.

On August 29, 2016, the ACC pressed charges against her and the court framed charges against her on August 28 last year.

On May 21 last year, another Dhaka court framed charges against 10 people including Morzina, her husband Abdul Khalek and Sohel Rana in a case filed for accumulating wealth illegally.

The anti-graft watchdog started investigating Rana's wealth after the Rana Plaza collapsed on 24 April in 2013, which left 1,136 people killed and about 2,515 others injured.

Morzina, one of the owners of Rana Plaza, was also charged with two other cases -- one for killing and the other for building code violation.