Bangladesh Bar Council has temporarily suspended the practising licence of former district judge and Supreme Court lawyer Md Masder Hossain following allegations of misappropriating over Tk 1.2 crore from a client.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Bar Council on Tuesday after preliminary evidence was found supporting the complaint.

According to a press release issued by the Bar Council secretary on Wednesday night, the matter came to its notice following a report published in the Daily Kalbela on April 12, which alleged that Masder Hossain had embezzled funds from a client. The report also stated that the lawyer had admitted to the complaint.

Considering the initial evidence and concerns over professional ethics, the Bar Council unanimously decided to suspend his licence temporarily. It has also asked him to explain within 15 days why his licence should not be permanently cancelled.

The suspension will remain in effect until further decision on the matter.

The Supreme Court Bar Association had also launched an investigation into allegations that Masder Hossain had misappropriated Tk 1.2 crore from a businessman without providing legal remedy.

The investigation based on a complaint filed on December 1, 2025 by Md Jamal Hossain, legal and administrative officer of Noor Plastic Industries Ltd, alleges that Masder received the money in phases between 2012 and 2013 to resolve a VAT-related case.

According to the complaint, he failed to take necessary legal steps, which ultimately led to the company to lose the case.

According to the complaint, a VAT dispute involving Tk 1,02,69,722.28 arose against the company following a complaint filed with the Customs, Excise and VAT office in Jashore on May 17, 2012.

To challenge the case, company chairman Nurul Islam Bepari engaged advocate Masder Hossain, who allegedly demanded Tk 1.9 crore to ‘settle’ the matter and reduce the tax liability to zero.

The complaint stated that the company paid Masder Tk 1crore in cheques in several instalments.

Later, an additional Tk 20 lakh was deposited to the government treasury as part of the VAT appeal process, reportedly outside the initial agreement.

However, the complainant alleged that the lawyer did not properly pursue the case and failed

to provide updates, leaving the company in uncertainties.

Subsequently, through another lawyer, the company learned that the case had already been disposed of on September 10, 2025, with a penalty of Tk 42,09,273 imposed on it.

The complainant alleged that despite receiving a total of Tk 1.2 crore, the lawyer neither fulfilled the agreement nor safeguarded the company’s legal interests, causing significant financial loss to it.

The complaint also claims that the lawyer has refused to issue no-objection certificates in two other pending cases involving the company.

Seeking redress, the complainant urged the bar association to take appropriate action against the lawyer and ensure refunding the money along with compensation.