Ex-Mohila Jubo League leader Papia jailed for 4yrs, husband acquitted

A Dhaka court has sentenced expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Nur Papia to four years in jail in a case filed under Money Laundering Act.

Judge Md Manjurul Hossain of Dhaka Special Judge Court-8 pronounced the judgement on Sunday.

Papia’s husband Mofizur Rahman and her associates Sabbir Khandaker, Sheikh Tayeba Nur and Zubayer Alam were acquitted in the case due to a lack of evidence.

In addition to the four-year sentence, Papia has been fined Tk 500,000. If she fails to pay, she will serve an additional three months in prison, said her lawyer Shakhawat Ullah Bhuiyan.

Due to illness, Papia was unable to appear in court on Sunday. Her lawyer requested more time on her behalf, but the judge rejected the plea.

Earlier, on October 12, 2020, Papia and her husband were sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in another case.

According to her lawyer, Papia was later released on bail by the High Court.

Among the other four accused, Zubayer has been absconding since the beginning. The other three, who were out on bail, were present in court.

Papia, who was the general secretary of the Narsingdi district Jubo Mohila League and her husband Mofizur were arrested on February 22, 2020, from Shahjalal International Airport in the capital. She was later expelled from the organisation for life for breaching party discipline.