The Appellate Division has suspended the 13-year prison sentence of BNP Vice-Chairman Advocate Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin and the three-year sentence of his son, Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The court also granted them permission to appeal against the High Court verdict.

A bench led by Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam passed the order on Sunday (March 16) while granting their separate leave-to-appeal petitions. 

Barrister Ragib Rouf Chowdhury represented them in court.

Earlier, on November 19, 2019, the High Court delivered its verdict after rehearing the case. The bench of Justice AKM Abdul Hakim and Justice Fatema Najib upheld the sentences given by a special court.

Following that verdict, Mir Nasir and Mir Helal (BNP’s central co-organizing secretary) surrendered and filed leave-to-appeal petitions.

The ACC filed the case against them on March 6, 2007, at Gulshan Police Station, accusing them of acquiring illegal wealth and concealing asset information.

On July 4, 2007, a special court sentenced Mir Nasir to 13 years in jail and Mir Helal to three years. They later appealed to the High Court, which scrapped their sentences in separate verdicts on August 10 and August 2, 2010, respectively.

However, the ACC appealed against the High Court rulings, and on July 4, 2014, the Appellate Division overturned those verdicts and ordered a rehearing of the appeals at the High Court. The fresh hearings led to the reinstatement of their convictions, which have now been stayed by the Supreme Court.

BDST: 1445 HRS, March 16, 2025
MSK