Chattogram Man Gets 7 Years and Tk 2.26 Crore Fine for Illegal Wealth

A Chattogram court on Monday sentenced Rupam Chowdhury (41) to seven years in prison for acquiring illegal wealth through drug trafficking and concealing information in his asset declaration.

The court of Divisional Special Judge Mizanur Rahman also imposed a staggering fine of Tk 2.26 crore.

Rupam, a resident of Halishahar who is originally from Boalkhali, gained notoriety in 2019 following a media report titled "Yaba Rupam." Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Mokarram Hossain stated that the court delivered the verdict after the prosecution proved Rupam had hidden assets worth Tk 65 lakh and amassed a further Tk 1.61 crore beyond his known sources of income.

This is the second major blow to the convict this month. On April 13, the same court sentenced Rupam and his wife Sandhya Rani Chowdhury to four years in prison in a separate illegal wealth case.

Rupam was absent during Monday's verdict prompting the court to issue an immediate arrest warrant against him.

The ACC’s investigation began in 2019 and concluded in 2021, confirmed that his primary wealth was built on the illegal drug trade.