Ex-CJ Khairul Haque shown arrested in ACC case

A Dhaka court has shown former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque arrested in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for allegedly obtaining a 10-katha RAJUK plot by providing false information, despite already owning a six-storey house in the capital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md. Ibrahim Miah passed the order after hearing the ACC’s petition seeking his arrest. At the same time, the court rejected Khairul Haque’s bail petition filed by his lawyer and ordered him to be sent to jail.

Earlier, on August 4, the ACC filed the case against eight individuals, including ABM Khairul Haque, under Sections 161, 163, 409, 420, and 109 of the Penal Code, and Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

According to the case statement, former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque owns a six-storey ancestral house on 18.5 kathas of land on Education Extension Road No. 2 (Nayem Road) in Dhaka. However, while serving as Chief Justice, he allegedly abused his power to obtain a 10-katha plot from RAJUK by submitting a false affidavit, violating Rule 13 of The Dhaka Improvement Trust (Allotment of Lands) Rules, 1969.

The case states that although the plot allocation was initially canceled, it was later reinstated in his name. He also allegedly violated RAJUK rules by failing to pay installments and interest on time, instead depositing the amount interest-free after five years.

The ACC claims that Khairul Haque’s actions caused a government loss of Tk 474,240, constituting embezzlement and other punishable offenses under RAJUK policies.

Other accused in the case include former RAJUK chairman Engineer Md. Nurul Huda; member (Finance and Estate) AEM Golam Kibria; Md. Abu Bakkar Sikder, member (Planning); Md. Anwarul Islam Sikder, member (Estate); Akhtar Hossain Bhuiyan, former joint secretary and member (Development); M Mahbubul Alam; and member (Administration and Land) Nazmul Hai.