National Bank denies shooting at Exim Bank MD

National Bank has given its explanation of the reported shooting of Exim Bank’s managing director (MD) and additional MD.

Sikder Group itself did not give any explanation. Sikder Group owns National Bank.

On behalf of National Bank, senior lawyer Abdul Baset Majumder in a statement said he studied the case filed with Gulshan police station in connection with shooting at Exim Bank’s managing director (MD) and additional MD and torturing them.

The lawyer said a director of Exim Bank had taken loans at different times from National Bank for business reasons. The director had also taken loans in his daughter’s name.

The complainant, who filed the case with Gulshan police station, had also taken loans from National Bank, Baset Majumder said adding there was no adequate security deposit against the loans.

Also Read

The lawyer also said the director and his companies took loans of Tk 50 million from National Bank on 13 May.

According to the explanation, Sirajul Islam filed the case describing the incident between 12pm and 7pm on 7 May. In the case statement, Sirajul Islam brought about an allegation of the Sikder Group taking loans of Tk 5 billion from Exim Bank.

But the lawyer in the explanation said Ron Haque Sikder did not apply for such a loan. Ron Haque Sikder and National Bank top officials did not visit the Gulshan branch of Exim Bank and did not meet MD and additional MD.

Also Read

So there is no question of negotiation of loans and deposit against the loan, the lawyer pointed out. The complainant is also not a witness of the incident in the case, Baset Majumder added.

The lawyer said Sirajul Islam only discussed the matter with certain executives of the bank, instead of the MD and additional MD before filing the ill-motivated case.

The case is contrary to justice and is lodged to humiliate them.

The explanation also said National Bank and its board of directors are doing business in the country with a good reputation since the independence.

Lawyer Abdul Baset Majumder in his statement termed the accusation against Sikder Group top brass as baseless and fabricated and done with an ulterior motive.

His clients firmly believe that the case would be investigated impartially and the members of Exim Bank board of directors and plaintiff would be proved guilty and face the music, the lawyer said in his statement.

Exim Bank’s comment: The plaintiff of the case and director of Exim Bank Sirajul Islam told Prothom Alo on Wednesday evening, “The case has been filed based on what happened. What’s the point if we fail to provide security to our MD and additional MD? The investigation has started, we hope justice will be delivered following proper investigation.”