Another ‘King’s Party’ Emerges: ‘Bangladesh A-Aam Janata Party’ Convenor Destiny’s Rafiqul, Member Secretary Fatema

Staff Correspondent

Under the leadership of Mohammad Rafiqul Amin, managing director of the Destiny Group – which has deceived people with false promises and embezzled money – a new political party named ‘Bangladesh A-Aam Janata Party’ has been launched. Convenor Rafiqul Amin has appointed the widely discussed and controversial Fatema Tasnim as the party’s member secretary.

This leader, who recently resigned from the Gonoadhikar Parishad, had introduced herself during the July movement as the sister of the then-coordinator and current NCP chief, former advisor Nahid Islam.

This ‘King’s Party’ was unveiled on Thursday at an event held at the Sheraton Hotel in Banani.

The event began with readings from various religious scriptures, followed by the national anthem. After the anthem, Rafiqul Amin delivered the welcome speech and announced the party’s name.

At the press conference, while presenting the declaration, Rafiqul Amin said, “Even after 54 years of independence, the people of the country continue to fight deprivation and discrimination. Therefore, the people had to unite to oust autocracy. The ‘Bangladesh A-Aam Janata Party’ wants to play a leading role in the struggle to realize people’s fundamental rights and establish political rights.”

On July 31, 2012, two separate cases were filed against Rafiqul and other Destiny officials for allegedly collecting money from investors under the guise of Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society and Destiny Tree Plantation Limited and then embezzling and laundering it. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed these cases at the Kalabagan Police Station. The total amount of embezzlement and laundering alleged in the two cases was Tk 4,119.24 crore.

After a two-year investigation, the ACC submitted charge sheets in both cases on May 4, 2014. In the Multipurpose Cooperative Society case, charges were filed against 46 individuals, while in the Tree Plantation case, charges were brought against 19 individuals, totaling 53 accused. Rafiqul and 11 others were named in both cases.

On May 12, 2022, a Dhaka special judge court-4 delivered a verdict in one of the Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society embezzlement and money laundering cases. The court sentenced Destiny Group MD Rafiqul Amin and company president (former army chief) M Harun-Ar-Rashid, along with 46 others, to various prison terms and fines. Additionally, the court ordered the confiscation of funds in the accused’s and the company’s bank accounts in favor of the state.