Samrat sentenced to life in arms case

A Dhaka court on Tuesday sentenced former Dhaka South Juba League president Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat to life imprisonment in a case filed under the Arms Act. 

The verdict was delivered by Judge Md Ibrahim Mia of Dhaka’s Second Special Tribunal.

The verdict said that Samrat was found guilty under Section 19(ka) of the Arms Act, 1878, and has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Accordingly, a warrant for conviction has been issued. His sentence will commence from the date of his surrender or arrest in connection with the case.

According to court sources, Samrat was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Chouddogram, Cumilla, on 6 October 2019. Following his arrest, a raid at his Kakrail office recovered a large quantity of foreign liquor, pistols, and skins of rare wildlife species. For possession of the wildlife skins, he was sentenced to six months in prison by a mobile court.

On 7 October 2019, RAB-1’s DAD Abdul Khalek filed a case at Ramna Police Station under the Narcotics and Arms Acts. After investigation, RAB-1 Sub-Inspector Shekhar Chandra Mallik submitted the charge sheet to the court on 6 November 2020. On 16 January this year, Judge Md Ibrahim Mia framed charges against Samrat and ordered the commencement of the trial.