Police arrested Abdur Rashid, the owner of Rashid Agro Food Products Ltd, from Kushtia town on Saturday afternoon.
He was apprehended in the Mojompur area around 5 pm in connection with a fraud case, confirmed Kushtia Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shihabur Rahman.
The arrest came amid rising prices of all varieties of rice in kitchen markets.
Abdur Rashid, also known as "Chaal Rashid," was arrested following a warrant issued in connection with a case filed by Atikur Rahman, the owner of Enam Feed Mill in Rajshahi, the OC said.
According to the police, Rashid failed to deliver fish feed raw materials to Atikur despite receiving an advance payment of Tk 1.33 crore, and also did not return the money to the plaintiff.
After a year and a half, Atikur filed a case with the Rajshahi Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on August 13, 2023. Since Rashid did not appear before the court following summons, an arrest warrant was issued on September 17 of this year.
Rashid is also the president of the Bangladesh Auto Major and Husking Mill Owners Association. Sources say he is an alleged ringleader of a syndicate in the rice market.
Additionally, OC Shihabur Rahman stated that Abdur Rashid, along with his family members, is accused in 68 cases related to loan defaults. Several banks, including Sonali Bank and Islami Bank, have filed these cases, the OC added.
Bd-pratidin English/ Fariha Nowshin Chinika
