Matiur of ‘goat scandal’ sheds tears in court

Staff Reporter :

A Dhaka court has refuted bail to former National Board of Revenue (NBR) member Matiur Rahman in two separate cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over the alleged accumulation of Tk65 crore in unexplained wealth.

Md Jakir Hossain of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court passed the order on Tuesday following a bail hearing.

Advocate Wahiduzzaman, Matiur’s lawyer, sought bail in both cases, which was strongly opposed by ACC Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam.

Matiur, who became a subject of controversy last year due to a high-profile and expensive sacrificial goat booked by his son, became emotional during the hearing and requested to speak.
Upon receiving permission, he told the court, “I sent a letter to the ACC from jail. I’m handing it over to you. Please read it and pass your judgment – I will accept it.”

“My family is destroyed. Both my wife and I are in jail. My mother is paralysed and there is no one to care for her,” he added, while breaking down in tears, pleading for bail, stating that he could present necessary documents to prove his innocence if released.

However, the court reminded him that the matter was still under investigation, and a conclusion on guilt or innocence could not be drawn at this stage. The judge advised him to remain patient.
According to case details, on 2 July 2024, the ACC issued separate notices seeking wealth statements from Matiur Rahman, his two wives, and their children. They submitted the statements to the ACC on 29 August.

Subsequently, on 6 January 2025, the ACC filed two cases alleging the acquisition of wealth beyond known sources of income. Matiur was arrested on 14 January and sent to jail the following day.

The ACC’s investigation disclosed that the family possessed 65 bighas of land, eight apartments, two resorts, a picnic spot, and three industrial entities. The authorities also froze their bank accounts, mobile financial service accounts, and stock market beneficiary owner (BO) accounts.
On 24 June, a court also imposed a travel ban on Matiur, his first wife, and their children.

Matiur came under public scrutiny in 2024 after his son-in-law, Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, made headlines for purchasing a sacrificial goat worth Tk15 lakh during Eid-ul-Azha. The lavish purchase triggered widespread criticism on social media and prompted deeper probes into the family’s wealth.

Following the controversy, the ACC launched a formal inquiry on June 4, 2024, into the unexplained assets of Matiur and his family members.