Court orders Bashundhara chief, MD’s arrest

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants for Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir and two media executives in a cheque dishonour case filed by a former journalist.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman on Sunday ordered the arrests after the suspects failed to appear despite being summoned.

Warrants were also issued against East West Media Group director Naem Nizam and former editor of daily Kaler Kantho Shahed Muhammad Ali.

The case was lodged on May 26 by Rahenur Islam, a former senior sub-editor at Kaler Kantho and now a reporter at Sokal Sondha.

He alleged that after resigning in October 2023, he was issued 10 cheques as service benefits.

Two were cashed, but two others worth Tk 196,078 were dishonoured due to insufficient funds when deposited at Islami Bank’s Mugda branch on Mar 23.

After sending legal notices on Apr 8 to the four accused without receiving payment, Rahenur filed the case.

His lawyer Amjad Hossain Majumdar confirmed the warrants, saying the court approved their application after the defendants failed to appear.

Neither Bashundhara Group nor East West Media Group has commented on the warrants.