BNP’s Khandaker Mosharraf acquitted in money laundering case

A Dhaka court today acquitted former health minister and BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain in a case filed on charges of laundering over Tk 9.53 crore to the United Kingdom.
Judge Md Abul Kashem of the Special Judge Court-1 of Dhaka handed down the verdict, saying the charges brought against Mosharraf were not proven.
In the judgment, the judge said the amount of money which was mentioned in the case was earned through legal means. So, Mosharraf can return that money from the United Kingdom, he said.
The judge said the case statement said Mosharraf laundered the money when he was the health minister. But the investigation officer did not record statements of any senior officials of the ministry during the investigation.
Earlier, the prosecution and the defence completed their arguments and the judge recorded statements of nine prosecution witnesses, including the complainant of the case.
On October 28 of 2015, the same court framed charges against Mosharraf in the case, said his lawyer Taherul Islam Tauhid.
Nasim Anwar, director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on February 6, 2014, sued Mosharraf for laundering over Tk 9.53 crore to the United Kingdom.
An enquiry by the anti-graft body found that the money was kept at a joint bank account of Mosharraf and his wife Bilkis Akhter with Lloyds TSB Offshore Private Banking, St Peterport, Guernsey, Channel Island, GY 14EN, UK.
According to the case statement, a report of Financial Investigation Unit, Bailiwick of Guernsey, UK cited the money was deposited to the bank account through money laundering.
Earlier, the then attorney general of Bangladesh on behalf of the ACC sent an MLAR (Mutual Legal Assistance Request) to his UK counterpart, seeking necessary information regarding the money laundering.
The UK Attorney General’s Office later responded with the information, Nasim mentioned.
Fourteen more cases, including four for curruption, are now pending with different Dhaka courts.