The court has now examined 40 of the 92 witnesses listed in the charge sheet, with the next hearing set for 27 August.
Former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury outside his apartment in London. Photo: Al Jazeera
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Former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury outside his apartment in London. Photo: Al Jazeera
Three more witnesses testified today (16 August) in a case filed over the alleged embezzlement and laundering of Tk25 crore taken as a loan from United Commercial Bank (UCB) through a shell company, Vision Trading, involving former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury and 35 others.
The testimonies were recorded at the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge’s Court, taking the total number of witnesses examined in the case to 40.
Mokarram Hossain, public prosecutor of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), confirmed the development to The Business Standard.
“Three witnesses testified in the case today. A total of 40 witnesses have now testified. The court has fixed 27 August for the next hearing,” he said.
According to case documents, Tk25 crore was taken as a loan in the name of Vision Trading between 13 October 2019 and 13 February 2020, in violation of UCB’s rules and procedures.
The investigation found that Forman Ullah Chowdhury, a protocol officer of Saifuzzaman’s Aramit Group, was listed as the owner of Vision Trading, which received the loan from UCB.
The ACC alleges that the loan proceeds were subsequently siphoned abroad through hundi and used to purchase assets through Saifuzzaman’s employees.
Earlier, The ACC filed the case on 24 July 2025 against 31 people at its Chattogram District Office-1. ACC Deputy Director Md Moshiur Rahman filed the case.
The commission later identified seven more people during its investigation and included them in the charge sheet, bringing the total number of accused to 36. Two of the original accused had died and were recommended for exclusion from the proceedings.
The ACC submitted the charge sheet on 5 January this year to the Chattogram Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court.
On 11 March, Judge Mizanur Rahman of the Chattogram Divisional Special Judge’s Court framed charges against all 36 accused and set 5 April for the start of the trial.
The accused include Saifuzzaman, his wife and former UCB chairperson Rukmila Jahan, former UCB director Asifuzzaman Chowdhury and several other officials of UCB and Aramit Group.
They face charges under sections 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471 and 109 of the Penal Code, Section 5(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act, and Sections 4(2) and 4(3) of the Money Laundering Prevention Act.
The charge sheet lists 92 witnesses.
Eight of the 36 accused are currently in custody, according to ACC prosecutor Mokarram Hossain.
He earlier said the case was the first ACC case against Saifuzzaman to reach the charge-framing stage.
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