Former BPDB chief engineer Shahidul jailed for 6 years in graft case

A Dhaka court has sentenced former chief engineer of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) Shahidul Alam to six years of imprisonment in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Judge Md Zakaria Hossain of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court-6 delivered the verdict today (20 July), convicting Shahidul under two separate laws for concealing information about wealth. 

However, as the sentences will run simultaneously, he will serve a total of three years in prison.

He was also fined Tk40,000, with an additional six months' rigorous imprisonment in default. 

The court also ordered the confiscation of Shahidul's illegally acquired assets in favour of the state. 

It further directed that any previous time he spent in jail related to this case be deducted from the sentence.

Shahidul was found guilty of hiding Tk24,42,495 in his asset declaration – an amount deemed to be beyond known sources of income.

The ACC's Deputy Director SMM Akhtar Hamid Bhuiyan filed the case against him at Ramna Police Station on 25 October 2017. 

Charges were formally framed on 25 June 2019.