Goat scandal: Ex-NBR member Matiur placed on remand in arms case

Former NBR member Mohammad Matiur Rahman, who stirred controversies after his son bought a goat for Tk 15 lakh last year, was placed on remand in an arms case yesterday.

A team of police detectives arrested Matiur and his first wife, Laila Kaniz Lucky, from a residence at Dhaka’s Bashundhara Residential Area early morning.

Police also recovered a shotgun, 24 rounds of bullets, and three mobile phones from their residence.

Hours later, investigation officer Md Rubel Mia, a sub-inspector of Vatara Police Station, produced Matiur before the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Nazmin Akhter with a 10-day remand prayer.

The former member of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) told the court that he was a victim of the Awami League government, which harassed him with different excuses.

He claimed the gun for which this case was filed was licensed. He appealed to the court to grant him bail and reject the remand prayer. The judge rejected his bail plea and granted the police three days to grill him in custody.

His wife Laila was sent to jail by the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The court fixed January 19 for a hearing on a seven-day remand prayer sought for questioning Laila. ACC Assistant Director Md Ismail, the investigation officer of the case, produced Laila before the court.

The case was filed against Laila, former chairman of Narsingdi’s Raipura Upazila Parishad, on January 12 on charges of acquiring illegal wealth of over Tk 13 crore and concealing information about her assets worth over Tk 1.53 crore to the ACC.

Four other graft cases were filed against Matiur, Laila, their son Ahmed Taufiqur Rahman, daughter Farzana Rahman Ipshita, and Matiur’s second wife Shammi Akhter Shewly.

Matiur’s other son, Mushfiqur Rahman Ifat, gained widespread attention last year after a viral video showed him purchasing a goat for Tk 15 lakh, sparking public interest in the family’s extravagant lifestyle, including expensive cars, properties, and resorts.

Later on June 23, 2024, the ACC began an investigation against Matiur. A court then issued a travel ban on Matiur and two of his family members. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit ordered the seizure of bank accounts, mobile financial services (MFS) accounts, and stock market beneficial owners (BO) accounts in the names of Matiur and his family members at that time.

Matiur was also removed from the NBR and added to the Internal Revenue Service. He was removed from the government-nominated director position at state-owned Sonali Bank as well.

On July 11 last year, the court ordered the attachment of all moveable and immovable properties of Matiur and his family members.