For first time, a Ctg court sentences S Alam to 5 months’ jail

A Chattogram civil court has sentenced S Alam Group Chairman Mohammad Saiful Alam to five months in jail for the first time since the fall of the Awami League regime.

The Chattogram Money Loan Court-1 today (21 May) issued five-month civil imprisonment warrants against 11 defendants, including S Alam and several of his family members, in a loan recovery case involving Tk84.49 crore defaulted loans from Islami Bank's Khatunganj Corporate Branch.

The order was issued by Judge Md Helal Uddin, who serves as Joint District Judge of the court. Assistant Bench Officer Md Ershad confirmed the matter to TBS.

According to the bank's petition, no immovable property had been mortgaged against the loan. The application also stated that even after the decree was issued, no movable or immovable assets owned by the defendants could be located.

As no other effective means remained for recovering the loan amount, the bank sought civil imprisonment of the defendants. Following a hearing, the court ordered five-month civil jail warrants against the accused.

Those named in the order include OG Travels Limited Chairman Gufranul Alam, Managing Director Hakim Ali, S Alam Group Chairman Mohammad Saiful Alam, Osman Gani, Md Rashedul Alam, Farzana Begum, Abdus Samad, Mohammad Abdullah Hasan, Shahidul Alam, Farzana Parveen and Ahsanul Alam.

All of them were listed as residents of "S Alam House" in the Sugandha Residential Area under Panchlaish police station in Chattogram.

The application and affidavit on behalf of the bank were submitted by Mohammad Didarul Alam Majumdar of Islami Bank Bangladesh PLC's Khatunganj Corporate Branch.

The case is being conducted on behalf of the bank by Advocate Rakibul Anwar. After lengthy hearings and reviewing the documents, the court delivered the final order today.