Travel ban imposed on ex-judge Bikash Kumar, JP's Ranga, ex-SCC mayor Anwaruzzaman

A Dhaka court today imposed travel bans on recently forced retired senior district judge Bikash Kumar Saha, his wife, former Rangpur-1 MP of Jatiyo Party Mashiur Rahman Ranga, his family members, and former mayor of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Md Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury over corruption allegations.

Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the orders after ACC Assistant Director Mohammad Monirul Islam, who is leading the inquiry team, submitted separate pleas in this regard.

In an application, the ACC official said an inquiry has been brought against Bikash Kumar Saha, also a former joint law secretary, and his wife Lipika Bhadra of acquiring illegal wealth through taking bribe in the name of giving job is underway. Moreover, the couple acquired a huge amount of money in their names and the names of their family members, it said.

"The ACC official came to know from reliable source that the couple was attempting to flee the country. If they flee the country, the inquiry into the allegations brought against them might be hampered," said the ACC in the application.

The anti-graft body in its plea against Ranga, his son Rafat Rahman, daughter Maliha Tasnim Jui, and daughter-in-law Shakila Khanom Kakon, said Ranga and his family members committed crimes under the ACC Act, including amassing illegal wealth and money laundering, reports BSS.

Meanwhile. the ACC, in its plea, stated that it has received allegations against ex-SCC mayor Anwaruzzaman for concealing wealth information in his election affidavit, as well as involvement in tender manipulation and extortion.

The judge directed the ACC to send a copy of the order to the additional inspector general (immigration) of Special Branch for the next course of action.

Meanwhile, the same court today imposed a travel ban on former Cumilla-4 lawmaker Md Abul Kalam Azad and his wife, Sadia Saba.

The government on July 10 sent Bikash Kumar and 17 other lower court judges into forced retirement.