Covered van driver get life term for drug peddling in Ctg

A Chattogram court today sentenced life term imprisonment to a covered van driver on charges of his involvement in
drug peddling.

The court of Chattogram Metropolitan Additional Sessions Judge Serajum Munira delivered the judgment awarding Rafiqul Islam, 53, for life term imprisonment for trading drugs.

The court also fined the convict Taka 50 thousand, in default, he will have to suffer more six months imprisonment.

Convicted Rafiqul is son of late Seraj Uddin Bepari of Purba Baishteki under Mirpur Section-13 under Kafrul thana in the capital.

The prosecution story, in brief, is that a Detective Branch (DB) team, acting on a tip-off, detained covered van driver Rafiqul with 85 thousand pieces of Yaba tablets from his vehicle in front of Momtaj Hotel in the city's Fringi Bazar area on March 6, 2019.

DB sub inspector Farhad Mohim filed a case with Kotowali thana against the four alleged drug traders including Rafiqul Islam on March 7 in same year.

Police submitted charge sheet before the court accusing four persons on August 2 in 2020.

The court examined statements of eight out of 11 prosecution witnesses in pronouncing the verdict convicting Rafiqul and acquitting three accused persons as allegations brought against them was not substantiated.