DHAKA: The High Court granted bail to former textiles and jute minister Abdul Latif Siddique for six months in a corruption case filed on charge of misuse of power in selling a government property in Bagura.

The HC bench of Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice AKM Zahirul Huq on Monday (Nov 4) came up with the order following a petition filed by the former minister seeking bail in the case.

Advocate Mansurul Haque Chowdhury, Zayed Al Malum and Shah Manzoorul Haque appeared for Latif Siddique while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the ACC.

Later, Khurshid Alam Khan said the ACC will appeal the chamber court of the Supreme Court against the 6-month bail. 

ACC Assistant Director Aminul Islam lodged the case with Adamdighi Police Station in Bogura on October 10, 2017. Jahanara Rashid, wife of late Harunur Rashid in Kalitala of Adamdighi upazila, was also made accused in the case.

According to the case statement, Jahanara leased a piece of land in Adamdighi, owned by Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation, for three years at Tk 1.2 lakh per year on May 13, 2010.

On November 13, 2011, Jahanara applied to the ministry for purchasing the land.

Later, then textiles and jute minister, without floating any formal tender, awarded the land to Jahanara at Tk 23.94 lakh although its market price was Tk 64.63 lakh, resulting in a loss of Tk 40.69 lakh.

Following the incident, the ACC filed the case against Latif and Jahanara under the Penal Code and section 5(2) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 1947.

On June 20 in 2019, a Bogura court Latif Siddique to jail in the case rejecting his bail petition.

Later, Latif Siddique filed the bail petition with the HC in connection with the case.

BDST: 1255 HRS, NOV 4, 2019
RS/SMS