Businessman detained in DSA case shown arrest for cheque frauds 

A Chattogram businessman – detained in the capital on Sunday in a case under the Digital Security Act – was shown arrested on Wednesday in cheque fraud cases. 

First Security Islami Bank Halishahar and Agrabad branch, and Bangladesh Commerce Bank Agrabad branch filed the five fraud cases against the businessman Mohammad Nur Un Nabi, 70, in the last three years. 

Nur – the owner of Balaka Group – had been on the run for a long time, said Zia Habib Ahsan, lawyer for the banks.

He said the banks applied with a Chattogram court to show the businessman arrested after learning that Nur was in jail after getting arrested in Dhaka's Gulshan. The Chattogram court ordered the accused to be produced before it on 18 January.

On 13 September last year, Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate's Court issued an arrest warrant against Nur Un Nabi in a Tk400 crore cheque fraud case by First Security Bank Agrabad branch. There was another arrest warrant against the businessman in a Tk150 crore cheque fraud case by Chattogram's Halishahar branch of the bank.

On 1 June last year, a Chattogram court ordered the authorities to seize Nur's property against Commerce Bank's Tk128 crore dues. According to sources, Nur defaulted on at least Tk900 crore loans by five banks. 

Hailing from Lakshipur in the 80's, Nur started a yarn business in Chattogram. He used to supply yarn to various garments at that time. Subsequently, he expanded the business and built several other companies under the banner of "Balaka Group".

On Sunday, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested five individuals including Nur for allegedly spreading rumours about banks and the country's financial sector. In a press conference at DMP media centre on Monday afternoon, police said that they were arrested from different areas of the capital on Sunday night.