A Dhaka court has ordered expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Chowdhury Samrat, who is currently out on bail, to appear before the court in connection with a money laundering case involving Tk195 crore. On Thursday, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman issued the order. Additional Public Prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Suman confirmed this information.
The date was fixed for submission of the investigation report and for the appearance of the accused. On behalf of Samrat, his lawyer Afroza Shahnaz Parveen submitted an appearance plea. However, public prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Suman appealed to cancel that appearance.
During the hearing, the judge asked the defense counsel about Samrat’s whereabouts. The lawyer replied that she did not know. The judge then ordered that the matter be heard again in the presence of the accused on Sunday.
According to case documents, on 13 September 2020, CID Sub-Inspector Rashedur Rahman filed a case with Ramna Model Police Station under the Money Laundering Prevention Act. The complaint stated that Samrat operated “illegal activities” from an office named Messrs His Movies in Kakrail, covering areas like Motijheel, Fakirapool, Paltan, and Kakrail.
Between 27 December 2014 and 9 August 2019, he allegedly amassed a large sum of illegal money. To conceal the source of his income, he laundered around Tk195 crore to Singapore and Malaysia through his associate Enamul Haque Arman.
During the nationwide anti-casino drive, Samrat and his associate, then Jubo League leader Enamul Haque alias Arman, were arrested from Cumilla on 6 October 2019. He was granted bail by the court on 22 August 2022.
Separately, on 12 November 2019, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed another case against Samrat for possessing illegal wealth worth Tk2.94 crore, which is currently under trial.
