Hallmark loan scam: Tanvir, wife among nine sentenced to life term

A Dhaka court sentenced Hallmark Group managing director Tanvir Mahmud, his wife Jesmin Islam and seven others to life term in a case filed over loan scam of Sonali Bank.

They have also been fined Tk 50 million each.

The court also sentenced eight others including Sonali Bank former managing director Humayun Kabir to different terms.

The judge of Dhaka's special judge court-1, Abul Kashem, passed the order.
ACC public prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

Those, who have been given life term, are Tanvir Mahmud, his wife and Hallmark Group chairman Jesmin Islam, Tanvir's brother-in-law Hallmark Group general manager Tushar Ahmed, T and Brothers' director Taslim Hasan, Max Spinning Mill's owner Mir Zakaria, Paragon Group MD Saiful Islam Raza, Nakshi Knit MD Md Abdul Malek, Abdul Matin and Taslim Hasan.

Eight other convicts are Savar Hemayetpur's Tetuljhora union parishad chairman Md Jamal Uddin Sarker, Sonali Bank Dhanmondi branch senior executive officer Meherunnesa Meri, Sonali Bank head office former general managers Nani Gopal Nath, Mir Mohidur Rahman, head office former managing director Humayun Kabir, deputy managing director Mainul Haque, deputy general manager Safiz Uddin and AGM Md Kamrul Hossain Khan. Of these eight convicts, Jamal Uddin was sentenced five years while others have been sentenced 17 years each.

Of the accused, Jamal Uddin is on bail. Saiful Islam, Abdul Matin, Humayun Kabir, Gopal Nath, Taslim, Saiful Hasan, Meherunnisa and Zakaria are on the run. Eight others including Tanvir, Tushar and Jesmin are in jail.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case with Ramna police station on 4 October 2012 against Hallmark Group managing director Tanvir Mahmud and others on charges of money embezzlement through forgery. Various allegations including misuse of power, money laundering and cheating and money embezzlement have been brought against the accused.

Allegations of embezzlement through a scam of over Tk 5.25 billion have been brought about in the case.

According to the documents, Hallmark in collusion with Sonali Bank officials embezzled Tk 26.86 billion from Ruposhi Bangla (former Sheraton) hotel branch. The ACC filed a case in connection with this incident on 4 October 2012.

After completion of investigation, on 7 October 2013, a charge sheet was submitted in the court in 11 cases against 26 people including Hallmark Group chairman Jesmin Islam, managing director Tanvir Mahmud, and his brother-in-law Tushar Ahmed. Later, Dhaka's senior special judge court framed charges against the accused on 17 February and 27 March 2016. These 12 cases were transferred to Dhaka's special judge court-1 for trial. The verdict in one case has been delivered today. The remaining cases are under trial.