Prof. Abul Barkat’s 15 minutes inside prison van

Former Janata Bank chairman and retired Dhaka University professor Abul Barkat, who was arrested in a corruption case, was wearing a white T-shirt and blue trousers with a normal sandal.

A police member held his right hand and brought him out from the prison of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court around 5:50 pm. Abul Barkat had a mask on his face. A well-wisher greeted him as soon as the former Janata Bank chairman reached the court premises.

He asked, “Sir, how are you doing?”. Abul Barkat said, “I am well. Stay safe, all of you."

Saying this Abul Barkat kept walking, lowering his head. He was not in handcuffs. However, he was held by two police officials on either side.

Historic Bahadur Shah Park is located in front of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court in Old Dhaka. A blue prison van was parked near the park.

Two police officers held professor Abul Barkat by the hands and escorted him to the van. He then stepped inside. At that moment, a well-wisher handed him a bottle of water and gave him a bag of clothes.

Several well-wishers stood in front of the prison van that was to transport Abul Barkat. Abul Barkat then came close to the iron bars of the prison van.

Lifting his head, he spoke to his well-wishers, saying, “Take care, all of you...”

Once inside the van, he removed his mask, revealing a face with stubble, dark circles under his eyes, and a visibly sombre expression. Beside him stood a middle-aged accused, who kept looking at Barkat's face.

A few of his well-wishers were still standing on the pavement. Abul Barkat gazed at them through the narrow window of the prison van.

It was then 6:10 pm. The prison van carrying him began moving towards the custody cell of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court. Inside, the economics professor stood holding on to the van’s metal bars.

The prison van left the premises of the Metropolitan Court and got stuck in traffic near the Azad Cinema Hall in Old Dhaka. Abul Barkat was still standing inside, holding on to the metal bars. He kept looking around through the van’s narrow window.

Moving slowly, the van halted again near Ananda Bakery at the Rayshaheb Bazar intersection. Eventually, it entered through the main gate of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court. As the van approached the custody cell, another prison van was exiting the area, causing a brief delay. For five minutes, the van carrying Abul Barkat remained parked outside the custody cell.

His well-wishers, who had been waiting at the Metropolitan Court’s custody cell, made their way to the CMM Court’s custody area as well. Abul Barkat continued to stand holding the bars. Every now and then, he drank water.

At 6:20 pm, the prison van entered the custody cell of Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court. Afterwards, Abul Barkat got down from the van. Two police officers then escorted him inside the custody cell. Abul Barkat remained in the CMM Court custody for about 40 minutes.

Around 7:00 pm, he was taken to the Keraniganj Central Jail in a blue prison van. At that time, Abul Barkat was still standing inside the van, holding onto the metal bars.

Professor Abul Barkat, retired from the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka and former chairman of Janata Bank, was earlier interrogated during a two-day remand by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in connection with a corruption case.

On Monday afternoon, he was produced before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court in Dhaka. Judge Md Zakir Hossain, Senior Special Judge of Dhaka, subsequently ordered that Barkat be sent to jail.

Barkat’s lawyer, Shahinur Rahman, told Prothom Alo that he would be filing a bail application on his client’s behalf.

Previously, on Wednesday, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court rejected Barkat’s bail plea. On the same day, the CMM Court had granted a two-day remand for his interrogation. He was arrested by police on 10 July.

According to the ACC, Barkat—during his tenure as chairman of Janata Bank—colluded with former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman to misappropriate Tk 297 crore (2.97 billion) through fraudulent loans to 22 companies of the AnonTex Group. The case, filed by the ACC on 20 February, named Barkat and 22 others as accused.

The commission claims that Atiur Rahman and his associates used various unethical methods to embezzle the funds.

Barkat has previously served as chairman of the Economics Department at Dhaka University and was also president of the Bangladesh Economic Association. He held the position of Janata Bank chairman during the previous Awami League government.