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Helena Jahangir, 4 others get two years in fraud case


Published : 21 Mar 2023 02:37 AM

A Dhaka court has sentenced Helena Jahangir, expelled leader of an Awami League sub-committee, and four others to two years imprisonment in a fraud case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain delivered the judgment on Monday (March 20) in presence of three of the convicts. 

The court also fined them Tk 2000 each, in default, two months more imprisonment.

The four other convicts are-- Hazera Khatun, general manager of Helena Jahangir’s IPTV Joyjatra television, its coordinator Sanaullah Nuri, chief news editor QuamruzzamanArif and staff reporter MahfuzShahriar. Sanaullah, Quamruzzaman and Mahfuz were present during the pronouncement of the judgment. 

The court also issued warrants for the arrest of two other convicts-- Helena Jahangir and Hazera Khatun-- as they did not appear before the court during the judgment. 

On March 14, the court fixed March 20 for delivering the judgment in the case after concluding the law-point arguments from both the defense and state counsel sides.

Abdur Rahman Tuhin, Bhola district correspondent of Joyjatra television, filed the case against Helena Jahangir and four others with Pallabi Police Station on August 2, 2021.

According to the case statement, Helena Jahangir took Tk 54,000 from Tuhin for appointing him as a district correspondent of the television. After joining the television, he did not get any remuneration for several months. On the other hand, the television authorities used to take Tk 3,000 from him every month.

On November 21 in 2021, inspector Shahinur Islam of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police submitted a charge sheet to Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court.

Helena Jahangir dominated media headlines after founding an organisation named AwamiChakrijibi League.

On July 29 in 2021, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested her from her residence at Gulshan-2 area in the capital for spreading misinformation and defaming various state organisations and personalities by using digital platforms.

At that time, RAB also seized foreign liquor, illegal walkie-talkie sets, casino equipment and deer skins from her possession. Later, raids were also conducted at her Joyjatra TV and Joyjatra Foundation building at Mirpur area in the city.

Four separate cases were filed against Helena Jahangir. She was remanded in different periods. Later, she secured bail.

On July 25 in 2021, she lost membership in the Awami League subcommittee on women’s affairs for her involvement with AwamiChakrijibi League, an organization with no affiliation with the ruling party.

She was also removed from the advisor post of CumillaAwami League.

Helena Jahangir is a member and elected director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the apex body of businesspersons and industrialists. 

She is also a member of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).

She entered politics over the last few years and became popular in social media. She has over two lakh followers on Facebook.

Helena Jahangir took part in the mayoral election of Dhaka North City Corporation in 2015 as a rival of the late mayor AnnisulHuq. However, she later withdrew from the election.