Juba Dal leader arrested for demanding Tk 50 lakh from HC judge

A Juba Dal leader, Akhtar Hossain, has been arrested for allegedly demanding Tk 50 lakh from High Court Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar via WhatsApp. 

The arrest took place on Wednesday (January 1) at Gabgachi House in Ullabazar, Fulchhari Upazila, Gaibandha, which is the judge’s village residence.

Akhtar Hossain, son of Mogrob Ali from Charparul Fulchhari village in Fazlupur Union, Fulchhari Upazila, is the former president of Fulchhari Upazila Chhatra Dal and currently serves as the joint convener of Jubo Dal.

According to police, Akhtar went to the judge’s village home in the afternoon to collect the demanded amount. Justice Khurshid Alam, however, managed to detain Akhtar at his home and alerted the authorities. 

Police subsequently arrived at the scene, arrested Akhtar, and took him into custody.

Khandaker Hafizur Rahman, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Fulchhari Police Station, confirmed the arrest and said, “The Juba Dal leader who demanded Tk 50 lakh from the judge is now in custody, and legal proceedings are underway.”

Efforts to contact Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar for comment were unsuccessful.

Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar is the son-in-law of late Deputy Speaker Advocate Fazle Rabbi and the husband of Fulchhari Awami League General Secretary Farzana Rabbi Bubli.

Khurshid Alam is among the 12 HC judges, appointed during the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League rule, whom Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed placed on leave on October 16.