Land acquisition graft: Trial begins in case against ex-DC, judge in Cox’s Bazar
A Chattogram court has ordered the commencement of the trial against five individuals, including former Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner Md Ruhul Amin and former District and Sessions Judge Sadiqul Islam Talukder, in a case filed over forgery and embezzlement of land acquisition compensation for Matarbari Thermal Power Plant project.
Judge Mizanur Rahman of the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge's Court passed the order today (1 July), setting the next hearing for 3 August when the plaintiff's testimony is scheduled to begin.
The case also names three other accused - Mostaq Ahmed Chowdhury, a lawyer at the Cox's Bazar District and Sessions Judge's Court; Swapan Kanti Pal, a nazir at the Deputy Commissioner's Office; and Zafar Ahmed, a court stenographer.
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ACC lawyer Kazi Chanowar Ahmed said, "During the hearing, all five accused pleaded not guilty and sought acquittal. However, after reviewing the arguments, the court formally framed charges and ordered the trial to proceed."
The initial case was filed on 19 November 2014 by local resident AKM Kaisarul Islam Chowdhury, alleging embezzlement of approximately Tk20 crore in land compensation by fraudulently showing shrimp enclosures on land acquired for the Matarbari coal-fired power plant in Maheshkhali upazila.
Although the initial case named 28 individuals, with then DC Ruhul Amin as the prime accused, Judge Sadiqul Islam Talukder later excluded Ruhul Amin's name while forwarding the charge sheet to the ACC. In response, the plaintiff filed a second case in December 2014, accusing the judge of tampering with the documents.
Following an investigation by Assistant Director Md Riaz Uddin of the ACC's Cox's Bazar Integrated District Office, a report was submitted to the court on 1 July 2024, implicating the five individuals. Based on that report, arrest warrants were issued on 23 January this year.
The accused later surrendered and were granted interim bail.
The case was recently transferred to the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge's Court for trial proceedings.
