National
Life Sentences for Hallmark Group Leaders in Tk3,500 Crore Scam
A Dhaka court on March 19th sentenced Tanvir Mahmud, Managing Director of Hallmark Group, his wife Jesmin Islam, and nine others to life imprisonment in one of the cases related to the Tk3,500 crore Sonali Bank loan scam, stating that the highest penalty for embezzlement should be the death sentence. Tanvir and Jesmin, who is also the chairperson of Hallmark Group, were fined Tk5 crore each.
Sonali Bank’s former managing director Humayun Kabir and eight others received various prison terms as well.
The verdict was passed by Dhaka Special Judge’s Court-1 Judge Abul Kashem. ACC lawyer Mir Ahmed Ali Salam confirmed the verdict.
Among those sentenced to life imprisonment are Tanvir’s brother Tushar Ahmed, who holds the position of chief executive officer, and T and Brothers Director Taslim Hasan, Max Spinning Mills owner Mir Zakaria, Paragon Group Managing Director Saiful Islam Raja, Nakshi Knit managing directors Abdul Malek, Abdul Motin, and Taslim Hasan.
Eight others handed different terms in the same case include Saval Hemayetpur’s Tantuljhora Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Md Jamal Uddin Sarkar, Sonali Bank Senior Executive Officer (Dhanmondi Branch) Meherunnesa Merry, Sonali Bank (head office) former general managers Nani Gopal Nath and Mir Mohidur Rahman, former managing director Humayun Kabir, Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Mainul Haque, Deputy General Manager (DGM) Safi Uddin, and AGM Md Kamrul Hossain Khan.
UP Chairman Jamal Uddin received five years in prison, while the others got 10-year prison terms each.
Currently, Jamal Uddin and Altaf Hossain are out on bail. Saiful Islam, Abdul Matin, Humayun Kabir, Nani Gopal Nath, Taslim, Saiful Hasan, Meherunnesa, and Zakaria are still fugitives. Meanwhile, Tanvir, Tushar, Jasmine, and the remaining eight accused are in custody.
Tanvir and Jasmine are accused of embezzling Tk16.5 crore after taking a loan of Tk525.62 crore in the name of a non-existent Max Spinning Mills. They were accused of embezzling the money between 18 September 2011 and 30 April 2012 by opening fake LCs (Letters of Credit) in the name of 11 Hallmark Group companies to pay for imported goods.
On 4 October 2012, Nazmuchchadat, assistant director at the Anti-Corruption Commission Head Office, filed a case with Ramna Police Station for embezzling Tk135,44,9,484 from the Hotel Sheraton branch of Sonali Bank. Tushar was arrested on 8 October 2012 in this case.
Following the investigation, on 7 October 2013, the investigating officer filed a charge sheet against the 17 accused in 11 cases. These 11 cases were transferred to Special Judge’s Court-1 in Dhaka for trial.
Later, on 17 February and 27 March 2016, the trial court framed charges against the accused.
Following today’s verdict on one of those cases, the remaining cases are pending trial.
National
Professor Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman Appointed Vice-Chancellor of Northern University Bangladesh
Professor Dr. Md. Mizanur Rahman, a distinguished academic from the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka, has been appointed the new Vice-Chancellor of Northern University Bangladesh (NUB). The Ministry of Education confirmed the appointment through an official notification issued on Sunday (23 November), signed by Sultan Ahmed, Assistant Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, on behalf of the President.
The notice states that, with the approval of the Honorable President and Chancellor, Professor Rahman will serve a four-year term as Vice-Chancellor under Section 31(1) of the Private University Act, 2010. He will receive all salary, allowances, and benefits as determined by the university, and his duties will commence immediately in accordance with relevant laws and regulations.
Professor Rahman has an outstanding academic background. He secured First Class First in his Honors degree from the University of Dhaka’s Marketing Department, achieving record-breaking marks. He completed his MBA with dual majors in Finance and Marketing at Dalhousie University in Canada, graduating in the top 1% of his class. He later earned his Master’s degree (First Class Second) and PhD from the same department at the University of Dhaka.
During his illustrious 35-year career, he has served as Chairman of the Department of Marketing at the University of Dhaka for three years and was elected to both the Syndicate and Senate of the university. He also served as Dean at Daffodil International University and has taught as an adjunct professor at North South University, BRAC University, and Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).
Professor Rahman has an extensive body of research, with over 35 publications, including four international papers and three research monographs. Several MPhil and PhD scholars have completed their degrees under his supervision. He also served for many years as Vice President of the Dhaka University Marketing Alumni Association.
Outside academia, he has contributed significantly to the corporate sector and educational governance. He has worked as an independent director and strategic adviser to various reputed organizations and has served on the governing bodies of several well-known colleges in Dhaka. He currently holds the position of Chairman of the North South Society.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
