DGHS driver Malek jailed in arms case

Health directorate driver Adbul Malek will have to spend 15 years behind the bars on charges of dealing illegal firearms and ammunitions. A Dhaka court on Monday delivered the verdict after concluding the trial last week. Malek has received 15-year prison sentences on two counts under the Arms Act. 

The court, however, said his sentences would run simultaneously, which means he will have to spend 15 years in jail.

"I am being convicted in a false case," driver Malek said after the hearing. “The police did not recover anything from me.”

Malek, an employee of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), was indicted in court on March 11, when he pleaded not guilty. 

He was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from Dhaka’s Turag area on September 20 last year for extortion and running illegal firearms trade in that area.

An imported, magazine, five rounds of bullets, fake currency worth around Tk 1.50 lakh were found on him during the arrest.

Later, RAB filed two cases against Malek at Turag police station, one under the Firearms Act and the other under the Special Powers Act.

He was allegedly involved in many illegal activities and made huge wealth by transferring employees of different departments through lobbying.

On January 10, police submitted the charge sheet in the case.

The rise of Malek

With an educational qualification of class eight, Malek first joined the Savar Health Project as a driver in 1982. In 1986, he started working as a driver at the transport pool of DGHS.

According to RAB, there are two seven-storey buildings in the name of Malek's first wife Nargis Akter in South Kamarpara. He has also a 10 to 12 katha plot adjacent to the buildings.

There is a dairy firm on a 15-katha land plot at South Kamarpara in the name of his eldest daughter.

Besides, Malek has also an under-construction 10-storey building on four katha of land in the capital city’s Hatirpool area.

He also has a huge amount of money deposited in different banks.

During interrogation, Malek disclosed the names of several other government employees who are also involved in corruption.

According to sources, Malek had an “intimate” relationship with two former directors general (DG) of the DGHS and Medical Education and Family Welfare Division as he used to drive their government-issued vehicles.

Many used to refer to Malek as the “Shadow DG” and because of his very close ties with a former DG of the DGHS, people in the health sector knew him as his “foster son.”

However, senior DGHS officials claimed that they were not aware of information regarding Malek’s corruption.