Tk One Lakh in Bribe: Former CAAB Official Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison

H. M. Rashed Sarkar, a former Junior License Inspector and Consultant at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), was arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe of Tk one lakh. Six years after the incident, a court has sentenced him to five years of rigorous imprisonment in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of the Dhaka Special Judge's Court-5 delivered the verdict today, Thursday. Additionally, the convict has been fined Tk100,000, and in default of payment, he will have to serve an additional six months in jail.

ACC Prosecutor Mohammad Zohirul Islam confirmed the information.

The accused, Rashed Sarkar, who was out on bail, appeared in court today. The court announced the verdict in his presence, after which he was sent to prison with a conviction warrant.

Earlier, the trial commenced on March 6, 2023, following the framing of charges against the accused. During the trial, the court recorded the depositions of 23 out of 24 witnesses.

According to the case details, Rakib Hasan passed the first phase of the CPL license exam, 'Air-Law', in 2018 in accordance with CAAB's rules. He then submitted an application on September 2, 2019, paying a fee of Tk 4,000 for the 'Composite' exam, which was the next stage of the CPL license examination.

Rashed Sarkar, while working as CAAB's Junior License Inspector and Consultant in Kurmitola, Dhaka, rejected the application through the online system on November 27 and December 4.

He then demanded a bribe of Tk 100,000 over the phone from Rakib to allow him to sit for the 'Composite' exam. Following the unethical proposal, Rakib went to BFC in Sector 13 of Uttara on December 6 and handed over Tk100,000.

When an ACC trap team intercepted and challenged Rashed, he confessed to taking the bribe from Rakib Hasan. The ACC then arrested him on the spot.

Regarding the incident, ACC Assistant Director Tahasin Munabeel Haque filed a case on December 6, 2019, at the ACC's Integrated District Office-1. Following the investigation, ACC Deputy Director Zahid Kalam submitted the charge sheet to the court on June 6, 2022.