Man sued for embezzling Tk 200 million from mosque in Dhaka

A former official of a mosque management committee in Mohammadpur has been accused of embezzling Tk 200 million under cover of fund-raising.

Abdul Quader, joint secretary of an expired management committee of Allah Karim Jam-e Masjid, was named in a case filed at Mohammadpur Police Station on Nov 15.

One Jahir Hossain of Katasur filed the case on behalf of mosque’s Waqf estate, said the station’s OC Jamal Uddin Mir.

According to case details, Abdul Quader, during his time in the committee, from 2005 to 2016, made money by letting out floor space on rent to different shops and entities.

There are 104 shops situated on the ground floor of the three-storey building that houses the mosque on its first and second floors.

But some spaces on the first, second and third floors of the building situated near the Mohammadpur Bus Stand were rented out to various commercial institutions and shops.

Jahir alleged that Quader violated committee rules by giving floor spaces on lease to the each of the shops for 99 years.

Around Tk 20 million from lease and Tk 200 million from rents that he collected from the shops were not transferred to the mosque’s fund, said plaintiff Jahir, adding that police have documents of contracts signed by Quader.

He said the Waqf estate gave him and some others the responsibility to run the mosque after it dissolved the expired committee.

Jahir’s lawyer Anna Khanam Koli claimed that Quader showed up in court seeking bail on Monday.

"Hearing the news, we moved the court against his bail plea. The defense counsels backed off then in an 'unprecedented' manner," he said.

Quader's lawyer Ayubur Rahman said: "We were waiting for the order after the hearing. We withdrew our paper because the court did not give an order. They will be handed over to the court again if asked."

Quader, who is currently absconding, could not be reached for comments.

OC Jamal said police was trying to nab him.