Abul Barkat sent to jail in Tk297cr embezzlement case

A Dhaka court has sent Abul Barkat, former chairman of Janata Bank and prominent economist, to jail in connection with a Tk297 crore embezzlement case.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Spokesperson Akhtarul Islam shared the court’s decision with reporters on Friday.

He stated, “Abul Barkat has been sent to jail in the ACC’s case. The court will hear the remand and bail applications at a later date.”

Barkat was arrested by the Detective Branch of police on Thursday from his residence in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. He was then handed over to the ACC, who produced him before the court.

On 20 February 2025, the ACC filed a case against 23 individuals, including former Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman and Abul Barkat, accusing them of embezzling Tk297 crore in loans using the name of Ennotex Group. The case was filed by ACC Deputy Director Nazmul Hossain.

Other accused include former Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor Abu Hena Mohammad Razi Hasan, former Assistant Director Mosammat Ismat Ara Begum and former Janata Bank directors Jamal Uddin Ahmed, Imdadul Haque, Nagibul Islam Dipu, R M Debnath, Abu Naser, Sangeeta Ahmed and Nitai Chandra Nath.

Also charged are Janata Bank’s Managing Director and CEO Abdus Salam Azad, former Deputy General Manager Azmul Haque, former AGM Ajay Kumar Ghosh, former Corporate Branch Manager Md Golam Azam, SME Department engineer Md Shahjahan, SEOs Md Emdadul Haque and Md Abdul Jabbar, former DMDs Md Golam Faruq and Omar Faruq.

From Ennotex Group, its chairman Yunus Badal, Managing Director of M/s Suprabha Spinning Ltd Anwar Hossain and director Abu Talha have also been named.

According to the case statement, the accused, in collusion, used fraudulent documentation and false records to embezzle Tk297.38 crore from Janata Bank PLC.

The charges include embezzlement, fraud, forgery, and money laundering under various sections of the Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

Abul Barkat was the chairman of the economics department of Dhaka University. He also served as the president of the Bangladesh Economic Association.