Jubo League leader Samrat sentenced to 20 years in prison

A Dhaka court handed a total of 20 years’ imprisonment to Ismail Chowdhury Samrat, a Jubo League leader, in a case involving illegal wealth accumulation and money laundering.

Judge Md. Zakaria Hossain of Special Judge Court-6 passed the order on Wednesday (February 25).

According to court officials, Samrat was sentenced to 10 years in prison and fined Tk 10 lakh for acquiring illegal wealth, with an additional six months’ jail in case of non-payment of the fine. For money laundering, he was given another 10-year term and a Tk 10 lakh fine, with a further six months’ imprisonment if the fine is not paid.

Both sentences are to run consecutively, making a total of 20 years. The court also ordered the confiscation of his illegally acquired assets in favour of the state.

A warrant has been issued for Samrat’s arrest as he remains absconding.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on November 12, 2019, through Deputy Director Jahangir Alam, accusing Samrat of illegally acquiring Tk 2.94 crore in wealth and laundering money. The charge sheet was submitted to the court on November 26, 2020.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Samrat went into hiding after a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raid on September 18, 2019, exposed illegal casinos in Motijheel. He was later arrested on October 7, 2019, in Chouddagram of Cumilla, along with associate Enamul Haque Arman. A raid on his Kakrail office recovered a foreign pistol, 1,160 yaba tablets, 19 bottles of liquor, two kangaroo skins, and an electric torture device.

Earlier, Samrat received a six-month jail term from a mobile court over possession of kangaroo skins, and additional cases were filed under the Narcotics Control and Arms Acts. He was granted bail in four cases in April 2022 and released after 31 months in custody.

Following political changes, the trial resumed on July 17 last year with his bail canceled. Witness testimony concluded on February 2, 2026, but Samrat, being absconding, did not appear to submit his defense.