Ex-MP Mozammel acquitted in extortion case, but no release yet

The plaintiff in the case, businessman Khalilur Rahman, says in court that he has no objection to his acquittal

Former Shariatpur-1 MP and Awami League organising secretary BM Mozammel Haque has been acquitted in a case over extorting Tk 2.5 million after the plaintiff withdrew the complaint.

Dhaka Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mahmuda Akhter made the decision on Sunday.

However, Mozammel will not be released from jail as there are other cases against him, according to his lawyer Md Liton Mia.

The case went to trial on Apr 1 after the indictment. However, that day, the plaintiff in the case, businessman Khalilur Rahman, said in court that he had no objection to Mozammel’s acquittal. The court then set Apr 5 for its verdict.

Accordingly, the accused was produced in court on Sunday. The court pronounced the verdict in his presence. After the verdict, he was taken back to jail.

It was alleged in the case that before the 2014 national elections, Mozammel called Khalilur to his Dhanmondi office through his Awami League and Chhatra League contacts and demanded a “cash payment of Tk 2.5 million” from him for election expenses.

Khalilur was given three days to pay the money and threatened with “enforced disappearance” if he did not pay, the case said.

Khalilur alleged that Mozammel's supporters forced him to close his business through making various complaints to the Shariatpur Business Association.

After the fall of the Awami League government, Khalilur filed a case in court on August 24, 2024.

Mozammel was arrested from Dhaka’s Niketon on Oct 5 last year. He has been in jail since then.