TDS Desk:

As ex-Janata Bank chief Abul Barkat stands in a prison van, his two daughters call out to him – “Baba, Baba”.

His sister-in-law calls out to him as well. Hearing the cries of his family, Barkat waves at them.

The scene played out on the premises of a Dhaka court on Monday.

Eminent economist Barkat has been sent to jail over a Tk 2.97 billion loan fraud case connected to the AnonTex Group. He was brought to the court at 10am from the Keraniganj Central Jail and kept at the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court lockup.

His family — two daughters, his brother, his sister-in-law, and other relatives — and his colleagues came to the court to try and catch a glimpse of him.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was due to submit its investigation report on Monday, but did not do so.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Sabbir Faiz deferred the date for the report’s submission to Nov 27, said Faiz Uddin, deputy assistant director of the Prosecution Department.

Barkat was taken back to the prison van around 1:30pm. At that time, some greeted him and gestured to let him know that they were supporting him. Barkat’s daughters stood holding the iron bars of the security fence at the court and called out to him. His sister-in-law came and stood beside them.

The daughters told their aunt to call their father by his nickname “Togor”. She called out to him and Barkat responded by waving at them. Colleagues called out to him as well, wishing him well as he left on the prison van. Barkat waved and bade them goodbye.

Central Insurance Deputy Managing Director Md Sainik said, “I come to the court at every scheduled date hearing to see him. Even just a glimpse of sir brings me peace. That’s why I come.”

On Jul 10, Barkat was arrested from his Dhanmondi residence by Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB). He was then remanded for two days and sent to jail. He has been in jail since then.

On Feb 20, ACC Deputy Director Nazmul Hussain filed a case against former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman and 23 others on charges of embezzling Tk 2.97 billion from Janata Bank in the name of the AnonTex Group through fraud.

According to the case dossier, M/s Suprabha Spinning Limited, an affiliate of AnonTex Group, took loans from Janata Bank at various times between Feb 5, 2013 to December 2024. However, the disbursement of large sums mainly took place during the period 2013-14, when Barkat, former president of the Bangladesh Economic Association, was the chairman of Janata Bank.

Barkat, an economics teacher at Dhaka University, first took the post on Sept 9, 2009. He was the chairman of the bank for a second term until September 2014.

It is alleged that Janata Bank, which was once financially stable, became weak under Barakat.

The other accused in the case are Jamal Uddin Ahmed, former director of Janata Bank, and M/s Suprabha Spinning Limited’s Managing Director Md Anwar Hossain and Director Md Abu Talha, Janata Bank branch manager and general manager (later managing director and CEO) Abdus Salam Azad, former deputy general manager Ajmul Haque, former assistant general manager (AGM) Ajay Kumar Ghosh, former manager (industrial loan-1) Md Golam Azam, SME Department executive engineer Md Shahjahan, SEO Md Emdadul Haque, former deputy general manager Md Abdul Jabbar, former general manager and former deputy managing director (DMD) Md Golam Faruk, former deputy managing director Omar Faruk, FCA Md Imdadul Haque, Nagibul Islam Dipu, RM Debnath, Md Abu Naser, Sangita Ahmed, and Nitai Chandra Nath.

In addition, the list of accused includes the Chairman and Managing Director of Anontex Group Md Yunus Badal, former assistant director of Bangladesh Bank Ismat Ara Begum, and former deputy governor Abu Hena Mohammad Razi Hasan.