SC scraps BNP leader Amanullah Aman’s 13-year jail term

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has scrapped the 13-year prison sentence of BNP leader Amanullah Aman in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) during the 2007 caretaker government.

Aman, an adviser to the BNP chairperson, had been convicted of amassing wealth beyond known sources of income and concealing asset information. His wife, Sabera Aman, who was sentenced to three years in the same case, also saw her conviction overturned.

A six-member Appellate Division bench, led by Senior Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, passed the verdict today (30 April), following a hearing on Aman's appeal against the 2023 High Court judgement that upheld their sentence.

Earlier, in 2007, a special judge's court sentenced Aman to 13 years in jail and Sabera to three years in a verdict issued on 21 June. 

The ACC had filed the case on 6 March 2007 at Kafrul police station in the capital.

Following the 2007 verdict, the couple appealed to the High Court. In 2010, the court acquitted them. However, the ACC later challenged the acquittal, and in 2014, the Appellate Division scrapped the High Court's decision and ordered a fresh hearing.

After a rehearing, a High Court bench comprising Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat upheld the sentence on 30 May 2023. The verdict was published on 7 August 2023, and the couple was instructed to surrender to the trial court within two weeks.

Aman surrendered on 10 September 2023 and was sent to prison by Judge Abul Kashem of Dhaka Special Judge Court-1. He then filed a leave to appeal petition with the Appellate Division, along with a bail plea. 

On 4 December 2023, the High Court rejected his bail request but agreed to hear the leave to appeal.

The leave to appeal was granted on 14 January 2024, and subsequently, the Appellate Division granted Aman bail on 20 March 2024.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon represented Aman in court, while Advocate Asif Hasan appeared for the ACC.