Court issues travel ban on ex-shipping chief engineer, his wife

Court Correspondent :

A Dhaka court has imposed a travel ban on SM Nazmul Haque, former Chief Engineer and Ship Surveyor of the Department of Shipping, and his wife, Sahela Nazmul, in connection with a case concerning the acquisition, possession, and smuggling of assets beyond their disclosed income.

Judge Mohammad Ash-Shams Joglul Hossain of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court issued the order on Thursday.

The decision followed an application submitted by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director Md Hafizul Islam, who is also the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case.

ACC Public Prosecutor Mahmud Hossain Jahangir presented the petition on behalf of the anti-corruption watchdog.

The application revealed that the IO had received reliable information indicating that Nazmul Haque and his wife were attempting to leave the country.

The travel ban was deemed necessary to prevent them from fleeing abroad.

Following the hearing, the court instructed the relevant authorities to forward a copy of the order to the Chief Special Branch (Immigration) to facilitate further action.

The ACC filed the case against the couple on July 30 last year with its Integrated District Office Dhaka-1. According to the case statement, Nazmul Haque is alleged to have concealed or disguised the illegal nature, source, location, ownership, and control of proceeds from crime through bribery and corruption.

He is accused of showing investments in various bank accounts, business establishments, and joint ventures under his wife’s name to obscure the illicit origins of these assets.
The ACC reported discovering these irregularities during the assessment of the accused’s assets and wealth statements.