Ex-minister Shajahan held, placed on remand

A Dhaka court yesterday placed former shipping minister Shajahan Khan on a seven-day remand in a case filed over the death of 14-year-old Abdul Motaleb in the city's Dhanmondi area on August 4.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbub Ahmed passed the order after investigation officer Khokon Mia, a sub-inspector of Dhanmondi Police Station, produced him before the court seeking a 10-day remand, a sub-inspector working in the court told The Daily Star.

Shajahan, 75, also an Awami League presidium member, was arrested in Dhanmondi early yesterday.

On August 26, Abdul Motin, father of Motaleb, lodged the murder case with Dhanmondi Police Station against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Shajahan, and 174 others.

Shajahan is the president of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation, an umbrella organisation of more than 200 unions of road transport workers across the country.

He had a strong hold on the country's road transport sector and played a very crucial role to keep transport services functional amid strike called by the BNP-led opposition in early 2015. In many cases, the government could not implement its decision to bring discipline and curb road crashes in face of their obstruction, according to media reports.

Shajahan, also the executive president of Bangladesh Sramik Federation, was the lawmaker from Madaripur-2. He was first elected MP as an independent candidate in 1986. From the same parliamentary seat, he was elected lawmaker in the national elections of 1991, 1996, 2001, 2008, 2014, 2018, and 2024 with AL tickets.

The country's transport sector is allegedly hostage to Shajahan and his activities in this sector posed a threat to road safety and public interest, the media reported on different occasions.

He and his wife's wealth have increased significantly over the last 15 years. His income has also increased.

As per his affidavits along with nomination papers submitted before the Election Commission in 2008, his annual income was Tk 6.85 lakh.

Before the 2024 national election, ex-minister showed his annual income was Tk 2.21 crore, which is almost 32 times higher than that of 2008.