Staff Reporter :
A court on Tuesday sent former Jute and Textile Minister Abdul Latif Siddique to jail in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for misusing power and damaging government property.
Bogura District and Senior Special Judge Naresh Chandra Sarkar passed the order when Latif Siddiqui appeared before the court and sought bail.
ACC’s Public Prosecutor (PP) Abul Kalam Azad said, “Arrest warrants were issued against Latif Siddique and another woman Begum Jahanara Rashid.”
However, defence lawyer Helalur Rahman claimed that Siddique, who contested the 11th parliamentary elections as an independent runner from Tangail-4 constituency, followed all the due procedure while selling out the government property.
The ACC initiated the legal proceedings against Latyif Siddique, also a former Awami League leader, on October 17, 2018.
ACC Assistant Director Aminul Islam filed the case with Adamdighi Police Station.
Jahanara Rashid, wife of late Harunur Rashid, from Kalitala of the district, was also made accused in the case.
According to the case statement, Jahanara Rashid leased a piece of land in Adamdighi upazila, owned by Bangladesh Jute Corporation, for three years at Tk 1.2 lakh per year on May 13, 2010.
In spite of getting repeated order from the Textiles and Jute ministry to pay rent for the land, Jahanara applied to the ministry to purchase the land on November 13, 2011.
The then Textiles and Jute Minister Latif Siddique, without floating any formal tender, sold the land to Jahanara Rashid at Tk 23.94 lakh although its market price was Tk 64.63 lakh, resulting in a loss of Tk 40.69 lakh.
