Twelve individuals accused in the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) embezzlement case involving Tk568.61 crore surrendered to Gulshan Police and were granted bail on Monday.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman approved the bail after hearing arguments from both sides. The court set the bail on a Tk5,000 personal bond.
The accused include Syed Moinul Haq, executive committee member of the IGW Operators Forum, Brig Gen (retd) Md Abdul Hannan, Ashik Ahmed, Gazi Md Salahuddin, Hafizur Rahman, Khalid Islam, Md Mahtabul Amin, Sohel Sharif, Tazin Alam, Nadir Shah Qureshi, Mir Nasir Hossain, and COO Mushfique Manzoor.
Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi said the case was filed against 27 individuals, including businessman Salman F Rahman and his son Shayan Rahman, for embezzling Tk568.61 crore collected through BTRC licenses under the Telecommunications Act, sections 420 and 406. The funds, intended for network development under the Market Development Fund, were allegedly misappropriated by members of the IGW Operators Forum executive committee.
Faruqi added that the accused violated license conditions and failed to repay government dues. While the prosecution opposed bail, citing section 406 as non-bailable, the court granted it after considering both sides.
The case was filed on September 18 at Gulshan police station by BTRC’s Senior Assistant Director Toufiqul Islam. According to allegations, under Salman F Rahman’s direct leadership, the IGW Operators Forum syndicate misappropriated large sums monthly deposited into Beximco Computers Ltd, a company without a proper IGW license.
