Suspended DIG Prisons Bazlur Rashid sentenced to 5-year jail term

A Dhaka court has sentenced former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons Bazlur Rashid, who was dismissed from the prison authority, to 5 years imprisonment in a case filed against him for acquiring wealth beyond the known income.

Dhaka's Special Judge Court-5 Judge Iqbal Hossain announced the verdict on Sunday (23 October 23) morning, Bench Assistant Arif Hossain told the media. 

Bazlur Rashid was also fined Tk5 lakh, and the court sentenced him to another 6 months imprisonment in default of payment.

After presenting arguments on 22 September, the same court fixed the date of the verdict in the case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol during the arguments told the court that the allegation against the accused of acquiring assets of Tk3 crore 8 lakh outside known sources of income has been prima facie proved.

Statements of 14 prosecution witnesses including the complainant in the case were recorded. On 22 October, 2020, the court framed charges against the accused. ACC Deputy Director Nasir Uddin, who is also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet to Dhaka Senior Special Judge Court on 26 August of the same year.

The ACC arrested Bazlur on 20 October last year in a case filed at the ACC's integrated district office. He was then dismissed by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

According to the statement of the case, Bazlur entered into an agreement with Rupayan Housing Estate in 2018 to buy a 2,981 square feet flat on the second floor of an apartment building in the capital's Siddheshwari. In the contract, the price of the flat was stated to be Tk3 crore 9 lakh. He paid this amount in cash and cheque between 20 April and 7 June of that year. But, he could not show any exact source of that money when questioned by the ACC officials.

Bazlur Rashid started working as Jail Super in 1993. He was promoted to DIG Prisons in 2013.