Bidisha’s web of deception
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
After the arrest of Bidisha Siddique, former wife of former president and founder chairman of Jatiya Party Hussain Muhammad Ershad, sensational information about her alleged fraud and influence is emerging.
While Ershad was alive, an agreement was made to sell an upscale apartment in Baridhara. Bidisha took Tk 7.5 million in advance from the buyer but did not register the apartment in his name. She later secretly sold the apartment to another person. This is not the only incident. During the Awami League rule, she was also accused of occupying another flat in Gulshan and a house in Niketan residential area with the help of an influential intelligence agency. In addition, various allegations of fraud and deception involving her ‘own child’ are now emerging. Several sources provided this information.
Police said she was arrested from Gulshan in the capital at around 8:30 pm on Tuesday. A fraud case has been filed against Bidisha. She was also sentenced to two years in prison in the case. As an arrest warrant had been issued following the sentence, she was arrested from a restaurant in Gulshan at around 8:30 pm on Tuesday.
A source close to Bidisha said a court sentenced her to two years of rigorous imprisonment on May 20 in a case over allegations of fraud involving the sale of a flat. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jamsed Alam announced the verdict. Along with the prison sentence, Bidisha was fined Tk 10,000. In default of payment, she was sentenced to another one month in prison.
Earlier during the Awami League rule, Gulshan police went to Bidisha’s home to arrest her in the case. At that time Bidisha threatened to have the then officer in charge of Gulshan police station who led the operation lose his job. At one point, under pressure, police were forced to return without arresting her. Bidisha later obtained a stay order on the trial of the case through the High Court. However, the plaintiff’s side had the stay order cancelled through the higher court and took the case to trial.
In 2001, he contacted Bidisha with the intention of buying a flat in Baridhara. Later, an agreement was made to sell a flat at President Park in the Baridhara area for Tk 8 million.
Plaintiff Mosharraf Hossain said he is an importer and businessman of sanitary products in the Mirpur 10 area. In 2001, he contacted Bidisha with the intention of buying a flat in Baridhara. Later, an agreement was made to sell a flat at President Park in the Baridhara area for Tk 8 million.
On July 10, 2001, Bidisha called the plaintiff to her Rajanigandha office in Banani and asked him to issue a Tk 7.5 million pay order in the name of her nominated person and friend Abdul Razzaq. The plaintiff paid the amount through Standard Chartered Bank’s Kawran Bazar branch. Later, an agreement for sale was signed between the two parties.
During the Awami League rule, Bidisha was used to use Ershad as a pawn. For this reason, Bidisha received patronage and protection from the then government and an influential intelligence agency. At the same time, she had close contacts with officials of the embassy of a neighboring country.
According to the agreement, the flat was supposed to be registered after obtaining approval from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha and paying the remaining amount. The flat was supposed to be handed over by July 10, 2002. However, even after a long period had passed, she did not hand over the flat. Instead, she sold and registered it to another person.
After learning about the matter, Mosharraf Hossain pressured Bidisha to hand over the flat. She then assured him that she would return the money. Later, on February 9, 2005, Bidisha issued a check for Tk 7.2 million. However, when the check was deposited at the bank within the stipulated time, it was dishonored due to insufficient funds in the account.
Mosharraf Hossain alleged that she then delayed the matter using various excuses and handed over neither the money nor the flat. He also alleged that when he demanded the money back or the flat be handed over, he was threatened with death by criminals. The case alleged that Bidisha had told the plaintiff that he would have to wait until money was recovered from former president Ershad.
It may be mentioned that after the verdict in the case, Bidisha was contacted by phone on May 20 to seek her reaction. She expressed surprise and said, “I have no idea about this case.”
An influential source in the Jatiya Party said that during the Awami League rule, Bidisha was used to use Ershad as a pawn. For this reason, Bidisha received patronage and protection from the then government and an influential intelligence agency. At the same time, she had close contacts with officials of the embassy of a neighboring country. Because of this, she remained beyond the reach of the authorities despite allegedly being involved in various wrongdoing. The source also claimed that she was arrested this time because of her alleged wrongdoing. The source said there was no other reason behind her arrest.
