Charges framed against Ctg mayor in Bijoy TV graft case
A court here framed charges against the mayor of Chittagong City Corporation, ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, and two other city corporation officials for illegally test launching a private television channel, Bijoy TV.
Chittagong Divisional Special Judge SM Solaiman framed the charges under sections 109 and 409 of penal code and section 5(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.
The two other indicted are the city corporation's Chief Engineer Mokhter Alam and former chief executive officer Imtiaz Hossain. The accused, who were present in the court, pleaded not guilty and prayed for justice as the charges were read out to them.
The judge said the case will go to trial tomorrow and summoned the complainant to appear before the court on the date.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Kotwali Police Station on May 27 last year on charge of launching Bijoy TV without prior government permission.
The charge sheet was submitted on November 22 in which it was alleged that the trio drew Tk 1,78,02000 from the city corporation fund in four phases and used up Tk 1,69,67,960 in the name of launching the private channel.
Citing sections of the Corporation Act, the defence lawyer argued during the charge-framing hearing that the mayor legally launched the test transmission of the television channel from Singapore with a view to broadcasting to the world the culture, history, heritage and business prospects of the port city.
Rebutting the charge of misappropriation, the defence said a big chunk of the money drawn from the city corporation fund was refunded.
State lawyer advocate AKM Jahirul Haq argued that Mayor Mohiuddin launched the test transmission without taking prior permission from the authorities concerned, including Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, local government and rural development and information ministries.
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