HC rejects BNP MP Harun’s appeal against jail term
MP Harun was behind bars for 16 months in the case filed over abusing duty-free import privilege
The High Court has dismissed BNP lawmaker Harun-ur Rashid's appeal against a five-year jail term, awarded by a lower court in a case over abusing duty-free import facilities.
However, the single bench of Justice Md Selim, on Thursday, reduced the sentence to the term Harun has already spent in jail, meaning the BNP MP will not have to return to prison in the case.
MP Harun was behind bars for a total of 16 months in the case filed in 2007.
On 21 October, 2019, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 sentenced Harun to five-year imprisonment. The court also slapped a fine of Tk50 lakh, failing to pay which, another six-month in jail.
Two other accused in the case, Enayetur Rahman Bappi, managing director of Channel 9 and Ishtiak Sadek were handed jail-terms of two and three years respectively. They were also fined Tk one lakh and 40 lakhs respectively.
Later, the high court waived their fines and granted all three of them bails.
According to case dossiers, during the BNP term in 2005, MP Harun imported a Hummer, an expensive SUV, using his duty free facility under the MP quota. He then sold it to Ishtiak Sadek for Tk98 lakh and Sadek sold it the Channel 9 MD.
According to rules, if a duty-free vehicle is sold duty within three years of its purchase, the duty must be paid, which the BNP MP didn't.
On 7 March, 2007, Tejgaon Police Station Sub-Inspector Yunus Ali filed the case against the three individual.
Harun, with a BNP ticket, won the Chapainawabganj-4 constituency seat in the 2018 election.
