A Chattogram court has ordered the imprisonment of two former directors of United Commercial Bank (UCB), Aporup Chowdhury and Touhid Sipar Rafiquzzaman, in a case involving the embezzlement and foreign transfer of Tk 25 crore through hundi. The order was issued on Tuesday morning by Senior Special Judge Mizanur Rahman after the two accused surrendered before the court.

According to the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) public prosecutor Mokarram Hossain, the case was filed by the ACC and names a total of 36 accused, including former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury of the Awami League government. So far, six accused are in jail while 32 remain absconding. The court has scheduled April 5 for the start of witness testimony.

The allegations state that Tk 25 crore was embezzled from UCB’s Chattogram Port Branch and laundered abroad. The court accepted the ACC’s charge sheet on January 7 this year, and the case remains under trial.