Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested a close associate of former lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam alias Kazi Papul, who was sentenced by a Kuwait court to seven years in jail in a human trafficking case.

Sadiqur Rahman Monir was arrested from Dhaka's Khilgaon area yesterday, Humayun Kabir, special superintendent (Financial Crime Unit) of CID, told a press briefing today.

Monir was a close associate of Papul. Over Tk 38 crore amassed from human trafficking was deposited in one of his bank accounts. The money was later transferred to different accounts as per Papul's order, the CID official said. Monir's arrest is a major development as prime accused Papul is Kuwait jail, he said.

In December 2020, CID filed a money laundering case against Papul, his daughter Wafa Islam, brother Kazi Badrul Alam Liton, sister-in-law Jesmin Prodhan, Papul's employees Monir and Golam Mostafa, and two overseas employment agencies owned by Badrul and Jesmin.

Earlier CID said Papul and his family members amassed more than Tk 355 crore and the money was transacted through more than 500 bank accounts and fixed deposit receipts (FDRs). Over Tk 130 crore is now available in these accounts and most of it were amassed through human trafficking, they said. In February 2021, Papul lost his parliament membership on grounds of moral turpitude after Kuwait court jailed him.