Bangladesh News

Two more prosecution witnesses (PWs) of the gold smuggling case filed against the former president HM Ershad told a Dhaka court yesterday that they knew nothing about the allegations against him.

They are — Mohammad Ali, former secretary to the Civil Aviation and Tourism Affairs Ministry and Sheikh Mohammad Ali Haider, an inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Judge Mohammad SM Mujibur Rahman of the First Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court recorded their statements and fixed November 9 for the next hearing. The court also issued summons upon all the witnesses including the investigation officer (IO) to appear before it on the fixed date.

Ershad, also the chairman of the Jatiya Party (JP), appeared before the court along with his party Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader. Although a large number of party men used to accompany him earlier, there was none yesterday.

On September 20, two other PWs — Fakir Ashraf, former joint collector of National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Pandab Chandra Barman, assistant arms and explosives expert of Dhaka deputy commissioner’s office, appeared before the court and gave the same statements, about six years after the recording of the last PW.

The last date of recording deposition of the PW-3 Azimuddin Ahmed, the then secretary of energy and mineral resources ministry, was on February 14, 2000. Since then, no witnesses appeared before the court, despite taking necessary steps.

A team of customs officials held four people including two foreign nationals at Zia International Airport on July 17, 1990 when they were attempting to smuggle around 3.6 kg gold worth about Tk 2.5 crore into Bangladesh, the prosecution said.

A smuggling case was filed against the four — Bernhard Rudiger of Germany, David Anthony Chalmar Chaker of England, the then manager of the Zia International Airport Major (rtd) Ashraf Uddin Sekender and Abu Taher, a security guard of the airport with the Cantonment Police Station the same day.

During investigation, the IO found evidence of Ershad’s involvement in the smuggling and his name was included in the charge sheet.

Rudiger, Chalmar Chaker, Ashraf and Taher were convicted and sent to prison on different terms on May 14, 1992.

The trial against Ershad did not start due to a stay order from the High Court.

Additional Public Prosecutor Golam Mostafa Khan appeared for the state while Advocate Sheikh Mohammad Serajul Islam defended the accused.

Ershad was acquitted and discharged of four graft cases in the last two months after his announcement to join the four-party alliance.