A controversial financial transaction involving a traffic sergeant of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) has sparked widespread questions after Tk 49 lakh was transferred from the bank account of a nursing coaching centre to her personal account in 2022.
 
Sergeant Sabiha Akter of the RMP Traffic Division received the money from an account belonging to Neuron Nursing Coaching Centre, raising questions about the purpose and source of the transaction.
 
However, she declined to explain why such a substantial amount was transferred to her account, saying that even Tk 1 crore or Tk 2 crore could be deposited there.
 
The owner of Neuron Nursing Coaching Centre is Saiful Islam, a former convener of the Rajshahi district committee of the National Citizen Party (NCP).
 
Bank statements and documents obtained in connection with the transaction show that Tk 50 lakh was deposited in cash into the coaching centre’s account at the Rajshahi branch of EXIM Bank on August 30, 2022.
 
On the same day, Tk 49 lakh was transferred from the coaching centre’s account to a bank account belonging to Sabiha Akter at BRAC Bank.
 
The substantial transfer has raised questions about the source, purpose and circumstances of the transaction.
 
Asked about the money, Sergeant Sabiha said, “Why only Tk 50 lakh? Tk 1 crore or Tk 2 crore could also be deposited into my account.”
 
When asked about the source of the money, she said, “You should ask the person who gave the money. I am not accountable to journalists.”
 
At one point, she also questioned whether the money had actually entered her account, saying that some people were targeting her and that she would respond to the appropriate authorities rather than the media.
 
When told that documents were available to substantiate the transfer, she said she would discuss the matter in person rather than over the phone.
 
Sabiha made these remarks on Monday (November 9) in the presence of Traffic Inspector (Administration) Anwar Hossain at his office in the RMP Traffic Division.
 
The following night, at around 9:00pm on Tuesday, she went to meet Saiful Islam at Jhautala intersection in the city’s Laxmipur area. She was seen sitting face-to-face with Saiful outside a dental care centre while wearing her police uniform. Several photographs of the meeting have also been obtained by journalists.
 
Asked about the transaction, Saiful initially declined to comment. Later, he offered an explanation, saying that the money had actually come from another person who wanted to give it to Sabiha but did not wish to transfer it directly to her account.
 
“That person gave me the cash, which I deposited into the bank,” he said.
 
Meanwhile, Ahmed Shafiuddin, president of the Rajshahi district unit of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SUJON), said the unusual transaction warranted scrutiny.
 
“Any financial transaction that appears inconsistent with a person’s known income should be investigated,” he said.
 
Asked about the matter, RMP spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Detective Branch) Gaziur Rahman said Sergeant Sabiha had informed the police that she did not currently have any bank account in her name.
 
Sergeant Sabiha has been serving in the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police for nearly eight years.
 
Source: Jugantar