Health Directorate Driver Malek Jailed for 30 Years in 2 Charges

The court has sentenced Abdul Malek alias Malek, a driver of the Health Directorate, to 30 years in prison on two charges in a case filed under the Arms Act.

The court sentenced him to 15 years in one charge of the Arms Act and 15 years in another charge. However, the punishment of the two sections will continue together.

The verdict was announced by Dhaka's Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Rabiul Alam at noon on Monday (September 20).

Assistant Public Prosecutor of the court Mohammad Salahuddin Hawlader confirmed the matter and said that Malek has been sentenced to 15 years of each in two sections. The two sentences will run together.

He was produced in court from jail before the verdict was announced. After the verdict was announced, the court ordered him to send back to jail.

Last Monday (September 13), the court of Dhaka's Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Rabiul Alam set the date for announcing the verdict after presenting arguments of the state and the accused.

Abdul Malek was arrested on September 20 last year from his house on the third floor of Bamanertech Haji Complex No. 42 in Kamarpara under Turag Police Station. A foreign pistol, a magazine, five rounds of ammunition, 1.5 lakh Bangladeshi counterfeit notes, a laptop and a mobile phone were recovered from him. Alamgir Hossain, Inspector of Police of RAB-1, filed two cases in this regard.

On January 11 this year, Sub-Inspector Mehedi Hasan Chowdhury, the investigating officer in the case, filed a chargesheet against Malek as the sole accused in the arms case.

Later on March 11, the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayes shaped charges against Malek and ordered the trial of the case.

On September 5, the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayes completed the testimony phase of the case after the prevalence of coronavirus outbreak subsided. The court has taken testimony of 13 people in the case.

On September 6, the case was transferred to the court of Dhaka's Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Rabiul Alam for further proceedings by the court of Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Kayes.

According to the RAB, he is a driver and a third-class employee of the Health Directorate's transportation pool by profession. His educational qualification is up to 8th class. He first joined the Savar Health Project in 1982 as a driver. Later in 1986, he started working as a driver in the transport pool of the Health Directorate.