Hawa Bhaban demanded Tk 21cr to save her brother : Actress Shampa Reza says

Hawa Bhaban sought Tk 21 crore from actress Shampa Reza to relieve her brother Azam Reza of Jayanti murder case. The then State Minister Lutfozzaman Babar was also involved in it.

Actress Shampa Reza told this to journalists at the waiting room of Dhaka Central Jail yesterday morning.

Noted television personality and cultural activist Shampa Reza, along with her mother and two brother and sister went to the Dhaka Central Jail to meet her detained brother Azam Reza. Her younger brother Azam Reza was convicted for killing his wife Jayanti. A Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka awarded death sentence to Azam Reza, former vice president of Dhaka Bank Limited for killing his wife Jayanti Munshi Reza, a teacher of Australian International School at Gulshan area, in January 2005.

Shampa Reza said they filed an appeal with the High Court against the verdict.

She said a team from Hawa Bhaban went to her house and sought Tk 21 crore. The team members assured that her brother would be relieved of the case if the amount were paid. Otherwise, they said that she would have to face great danger.

“The Hawa Bhaban men also asked me to seek necessary legal support from their appointed panel lawyers. They made it clear that I would have to pay Tk 21 crore to save my brother,” she said.

“But, how I could have provided such a large amount of money…..I have never seen such a large amount in my own eyes,” she said.

Later, the Hawa Bhaban sought Tk 1 crore when the former four-party alliance government was about to leave the power.

“They said they would make necessary arrangement of bail if I would provide them Tk 1 crore,” she said.

Shampa Reza urged the government to interrogate Babar (who is now detained in jail) for finding out the truth in this regard.

She said, “We are from an ordinary family. But, we did not get necessary cooperation from journalists,” she further said.

Jayanti Munshi Reza, daughter of late freedom fighter and journalist M Sadeqin was killed at the residence of Azam Reza at Green Apartment, Banani under Gulshan Police Station on January 8, 2004. Following the incident Azam Reza filed an unnatural death case with Gulshan Police Station, but the victim’s mother filed a murder case against Azam Reza, his alleged lover actress Afsana Mimi and his sister actress Shampa Reza. After investigation Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police submitted charge-sheet only against Azam Reza and omitted the names of Mimi and Shampa Reza from the charge-sheet in 2004.

Later, Azam Reza was awarded death penalty for killing his wife Jayanti.