Former Chittagong Postmaster Sentenced to 3 Years for Embezzlement

A court has sentenced former sub-postmaster Ehsanul Haque to three years in prison for embezzling over Tk 15.8 lakh from customers' deposits at two local post offices.

Chittagong Divisional Special Judge Md. Mizanur Rahman delivered the verdict on Monday August 3. Alongside the prison term the court fined Haque Tk 15,83,900. If he fails to pay the fine he will face an additional three years behind bars. Haque was present during the verdict and was immediately sent to jail.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Advocate Rezaul Karim Rony confirmed that the conviction was secured based on the testimonies of 14 witnesses.

According to case files the embezzlement occurred while Haque was stationed at the Shakpura and Chardwip sub-post offices in Boalkhali upazila. Haque systematically collected savings and term deposits from customers, stamped their personal passbooks to confirm receipt but intentionally omitted the funds from the official postal cash and journal ledgers.

Through this scheme he misappropriated Tk 6.42 lakh from the Shakpura branch and Tk 9.41 lakh from the Chardwip branch.

The fraud was initially uncovered during an internal departmental probe. A formal case was filed at the Boalkhali Police Station on July 14, 2016. Following a thorough investigation by the ACC formal charges were pressed on May 30, 2017 which initiated the trial.