Court imposes travel ban on Tahmina Denim MD Yasir, 15 others in Tk8cr bank fraud case

A Dhaka court has imposed a foreign travel ban on 16 individuals, including Tahmina Denim Limited Managing Director Yasir Ahmed Khan, over allegations of criminal breach of trust linked to the embezzlement of Tk8.40 crore from BASIC Bank.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz passed the order today (9 March) following a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), confirmed Bench Assistant of the concerned court, Md Riaz Hossain.

Those placed under the travel ban include Tahmina Denim Limited Chairman Kamrul Zaman Molla, Director Kazi Rizwan Mominul Huq, Deputy General Manager Sigar Ahmed, former managing director Kazi Fakhrul Islam, Deputy Managing Director Fazlus Sobhan, Chief Surveyor Jasimuddin Chowdhury, former BASIC Bank chairman Sheikh Abdul Hye Bacchu, former general manager of BASIC Bank Shah Alam Bhuiyan, former BASIC Bank directors Jahangir Akhand Selim, Fakhrul Islam, Subhashish Bose, Nilufar Ahmed, Kazi Akhtar Hossain and Md Anwarul Islam, and former BASIC Bank managing director AKM Sajedur Rahman.

ACC Assistant Director and investigating officer Bishan Ghosh filed the application seeking the travel ban.

According to the petition, the accused, acting in mutual collusion and with dishonest intent, abused their power and committed criminal breach of trust by embezzling Tk8.40 crore after withdrawing from BASIC Bank Limited.

A case was filed against them under relevant sections of the Penal Code and the Anti-Corruption Act.

The petition also stated that a chargesheet in the case was submitted on 12 June 2023 after the completion of the initial investigation. Further investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.

The ACC said it had received information from confidential sources that the accused named in the first information report (FIR), along with others identified during the investigation, might attempt to leave the country.

It warned that if the accused managed to flee abroad, it could hinder a fair investigation, and therefore requested the court to restrict their departure from the country.