News - Comment

B’desh Ex-army chief Harunur Rashid surrenders in money laundering case.

Former Bangladeshi army chief Harunur Rashid surrendered before a court on Thursday, Oct 11 in a major money laundering case involving the controversial Destiny Group, which he heads. Two money laundering cases are slapped on him and four other directors of the company and they are charged with cheating investors to the tune of Taka 3,285.26 crore. His surrender came as the bail granted to them earlier was overturned.

A 1971 liberation war veteran, Rashid served as the army chief in late 1990s; years after retirement he joined the Destiny group as its chairman a post which doesn’t carry executive powers. The statutory Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other agencies launched investigations against the Destiny’s "shadow business" in the name of multilevel marketing company (MLM) and cooperative societies.

On September 27 a Dhaka court cancelled bail to 22 high officials of Destiny Group including its Managing Director Md Rafiqul Amin in two money laundering cases.

Judge Mohammad Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judge’s Court passed the order after the ACC had filed four criminal appeals challenging the legality of the bail granted to the Destiny officials by three lower courts. The court also ordered the accused to surrender before the lower court.  

Three metropolitan magistrates of Dhaka had granted bail to the accused on different dates, although they have no jurisdiction to deal with money laundering cases as per provisions of the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2009.

The anti-graft watchdog had sued the Destiny officials on July 31 for laundering Tk 3,285.26 crore by cheating its investors.

The government will appoint an administrator to run Destiny Group as the top management including Harunur-Rashid were sent to jail in two money laundering cases.

The other officials are: Rafiqul Amin, chairman of Destiny Group, and Mohammad Hossain, chairman of Destiny-2000 Ltd, a sister concern of the group.

Sharing:

Your comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *