Bidisha Siddique sentenced to 2 years in jail in fraud case

A Dhaka court today sentenced Bidisha Siddique, former wife of late former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, to two years' imprisonment in a fraud case filed with Gulshan Police Station.

The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jamsed Alam delivered the verdict today (20 May), confirmed the plaintiff's lawyer Hemayet Uddin Hiron.

In addition to the jail term, the court fined her Tk10,000, with a further one month's simple imprisonment in default of payment.

According to the case statement, on 10 July 2001, Bidisha Siddique allegedly called the complainant to the Rajanigandha office in Banani and asked him to issue a pay order worth Tk75 lakh in the name of her nominated representative and friend, Abdul Razzak. The complainant later made the payment through the Kawran Bazar branch of Standard Chartered Bank, after which a deed of agreement was signed between the parties.

Under the agreement, the flat was to be registered after obtaining approval from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) and payment of the remaining amount. Although the flat was promised to be handed over by 10 July 2002, it was not delivered even after a considerable period.

When the complainant repeatedly sought possession of the flat, Bidisha allegedly assured him that the money would be refunded, the statement added.

Subsequently, on 9 February 2005, a cheque worth Tk72 lakh was issued, but it was dishonoured due to insufficient funds when deposited within the stipulated time.

The complaint further alleged that despite repeated assurances, neither the money nor the flat was handed over, while attempts to demand a refund or possession allegedly led to death threats through miscreants.

The case statement also claimed that Bidisha told the complainant he would have to wait until money was recovered from former president HM Ershad.