Arrest warrant against ex-justice, 6 others in aircraft corruption case

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against former Justice A F M Mezbhauddin and six others in a case involving the lease of two faulty Egyptian aircraft that allegedly caused a loss of Tk 741 crore to the state.

On Wednesday (November 5), Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Sabbir Foyez took cognisance of the charges against 18 accused and discharged 18 others. The warrants were issued as the seven accused remain absconding.

According to ACC Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam, those facing arrest include former Biman Bangladesh Airlines board chairman Air Marshal (retd.) Jamal Uddin Ahmed, former directors Fazle Kabir, Khorshed Alam Chowdhury, Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Abu Esrar, Major General (retd.) Abul Hossain, and Dhaka University professor Iqbal Ahmed.

The case, filed by ACC Deputy Director Jesmin Akhter on February 6, 2023, alleges that in 2014, Biman Bangladesh Airlines leased two Boeing 777-200ER aircraft from Egypt Air for five years despite the planes being old and defective.

Engine failures began soon after operations started, forcing the national carrier to repeatedly rent replacement engines, including repairs abroad, causing massive financial losses.

The Anti-Corruption Commission later charged 22 individuals after further investigation, including several former Biman officials and engineers. 

MAL/NSA