Money laundering: Court accepts charges against suspended DGHS official

A Dhaka court today accepted the charges brought against Abzal Hossain, a suspended accountant of the medical education department under Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and his wife Rubina Khanam in two money laundering cases.

Judge Mohammad Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after scrutinising the case dockets and other relevant documents, said ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir.

The judge also rejected bail petitions of Afzal after his lawyer submitted two separate petitions, seeking bail in the cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Abzal was sent to jail on August 26 of 2020 after he surrendered before the court.

The judge issued arrest warrant against Rubina Khanam as she went abroad to avoid trial.

Earlier on February 18, ACC Assistant Director Md Shahidur Rahman and also the investigation officer of the cases, pressed charges against the couple.

On June 27 of 2019, ACC Deputy Director Md Towfiqul Islam filed the two cases with ACC Integrated District Office-1 of Dhaka, accusing Abzal and his wife Rubina Khanam of the corruption.

The first case was filed on charges of laundering money worth Tk 263,76,81,175, concealing information on wealth worth Tk 5,90,28,926 and amassing wealth worth Tk 1,51,23,044 beyond known sources of income.

The other case was filed on charges of laundering money worth Tk 20,74,32,032.12, concealing information of wealth worth Tk 2,01,19,785 and amassing wealth worth Tk 4,79,34,449 beyond known sources of income.