A Dhaka court on Wednesday sentenced Bidisha Ershad, former wife of late Jatiya Party chairman and former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, to two years’ imprisonment in a fraud case.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Jamshed Alam delivered the verdict in her absence, according to complainant’s lawyer Hemayet Uddin Khan Heron.
The court also imposed a fine of Tk10,000 on the accused, with an additional one-month imprisonment in default of payment of the fine.
During the trial, six prosecution witnesses gave their statements before the court, the lawyer said.
The case was originally filed on 2 February 2008 with Gulshan Police Station by businessman AKM Mosharrof Hossain Sikdar, a resident of Dhaka’s Pallabi area.
According to the case statement, the complainant alleged that he had paid Tk75 lakh to Bidisha Ershad on 10 July 2001 for a flat in Baridhara, which was supposed to be handed over by 10 July 2002.
However, the flat was not delivered even after the agreed deadline, prompting repeated complaints from the buyer.
The complainant further stated that although several years had passed, the property transfer did not take place as promised.
Later, Bidisha Ershad allegedly issued a cheque of Tk75 lakh in favour of the complainant, but it was dishonoured on 2 May 2005 due to insufficient funds.
He also claimed that when he went to her Baridhara residence on 26 January 2008 to recover the money, he failed to receive payment and was later allegedly threatened when he attempted to pursue the matter further.
Following examination of witnesses and evidence, the court delivered its verdict, bringing the long-running case to a conclusion.
