Papia Jailed for 4 Years in Money Laundering Case

A Dhaka court on Sunday sentenced expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Nur Papia to four years in jail in a money laundering case.

Judge Md Monjurul Hossain of Dhaka Special Judge Court-8 delivered the verdict in Papia's absence. The court also fined her Tk 5 lakh; failure to pay will result in an additional three months of imprisonment.

However, the court acquitted four others, including Papia’s husband Mofijur Rahman alias Sumon Chowdhury, as the charges against them could not be proven, court clerk Foijur Rahman told BSS.

According to case details, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Papia, her husband, and two associates at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on February 22, 2020. They were caught with counterfeit notes, and a large amount of foreign and local currency.

Subsequent raids on their luxury apartments on Indira Road uncovered a foreign-made pistol, two magazines, 20 bullets, five bottles of foreign liquor, and Tk 58.41 lakh in cash, among other items.

The money laundering case was filed with Gulshan Police Station. Later, CID inspector Ibrahim Hossain submitted a charge sheet against five accused on December 27, 2021. The court formally framed charges on August 21, 2022.