A court in Laxmipur has remanded a senior lawyer in custody following allegations of stealing a bank cheque from a relative’s residence and forging her signature to claim millions of taka. On Sunday afternoon, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohammad Rezaul Haq rejected the bail petition filed by the accused and ordered his immediate transfer to prison.
The court bailiff, Md Masud, confirmed the judicial order on Sunday evening, noting that a comprehensive investigation conducted by the Assistant Superintendent of Police (Raipur Circle) had verified the fraudulent activities.
The remanded lawyer, Humayun Kabir Howlader, is a resident of Mahadevpur village in Dalal Bazar Union under Laxmipur Sadar upazila. He previously served as the general secretary of the Laxmipur District Bar Association. The involvement of a prominent legal practitioner in a high-value financial fraud case has created a significant stir across local legal circles.
According to court filings and the original complaint, the case stems from a dispute involving Yusuph Ali, a resident of Udamara village in Raipur upazila. Yusuph’s wife, Moriam Begum, is related to the accused lawyer. During a social visit to Moriam’s home, Humayun surreptitiously stole a leaf from her Southeast Bank chequebook issued by the Haydarganj branch. He subsequently filled out the instrument for the sum of 3,681,000 taka and forged Moriam’s signature before submitting it to the bank for encashment.
The attempt unspooled when attentive bank officials detected a clear discrepancy between the signature on the presented cheque and the account holder’s specimen on file. Bank staff alerted Moriam immediately, preventing the unauthorized withdrawal of funds.
Following the discovery, Moriam’s husband lodged a formal complaint at the Raipur Senior Judicial Magistrate’s Court, naming Humayun Kabir Howlader and an accomplice, Abdus Shahid. Recognizing the gravity of the allegations, the magistrate tasked the Assistant Superintendent of Police (Raipur Circle) with investigating the matter.
As part of the inquiry, law enforcement forwarded the disputed cheque to forensic experts at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Scientific analysis by handwriting specialists confirmed that the signature had been forged. Backed by expert testimony and conclusive evidence, the investigating officer submitted his report, prompting the magistrate to issue arrest warrants against both accused on 7 October.
Firoz Alam, representing the complainant, stated that Humayun surrendered to the court on Sunday seeking bail following the arrest warrant. However, after hearing arguments from both sides, the judge denied bail. The second accused in the case, Abdus Shahid, remains absconding, with law enforcement working to determine his whereabouts.
Addressing the situation, Monirul Islam Howlader, President of the Laxmipur District Bar Association, revealed that the court had previously requested him to mediate an out-of-court settlement between the parties. The bar association had sought a seven-day window to negotiate a resolution, but mediation efforts collapsed as the complainant insisted on proceeding with formal prosecution.
