Jan 25 set for decision on accepting charges against 5 ex-NSU trustees

A Dhaka court has fixed January 25, 2023, to decide whether to accept the charges against nine people, including five former members of the board of trustees of North South University, for laundering around Tk 304 crore.

Judge Md Asaduzzaman of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court set the date today after the investigation report was placed before him.

Earlier on November 10, ACC Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwary, also the investigating officer, submitted the charge sheet to the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court.

The five former trustees are Azim Uddin Ahmed, chairman of Mutual Group of Companies; Benajir Ahmed, managing director and CEO of Raymond Group of Industries; MA Kashem, chairman of Mutual Group of Industries; Rehana Rahman, managing director of Bengal Tradeways Ltd; and Mohammed Shajahan, MD of Shah Fatehullah Textile Mills Ltd.

Of them, Kashem, Benajir, Rehana and Mohammed Shajahan were arrested following a High Court order on May 22.

The other four accused are Ashaloy Housing and Developers MD Amin Md Hilaly, its chairman Omar Faruk, and directors Anwara Begum and Syed AK Haque.

Five other accused were shown ''fugitives'' in the charge sheet as they did not get bail from any courts, an ACC official said.

The IO appealed to the court to issue arrest warrants against the fugitives as they have been absconding since the case was filed.

On May 5, ACC Deputy Director Farid Ahmed Patwary filed the case with its integrated district office in Dhaka.

According to the case statement, NSU made an agreement with the company for buying land in Jangir, Gutiab, and Pitolganj mouza of Narayanganj's Rupganj upazila.

The university paid the company Tk 500 crore for 8,250 decimals of land in 2016. The university paid Tk 35.19 crore for another 846.88 decimals of land in the same mouzas between 2019 and 2021.