Arrested Bangladeshi UN official in New York secures bail

Bangladeshi national Hamidur Rashid, charged with visa and foreign labour contracting frauds, secured bail on 'unsecured bond' on Tuesday.

US prosecutors charged Hamidur, a United Nations employee in New York, with committing visa fraud by bringing a domestic worker from Bangladesh but reportedly failed to pay her a lawful wage.

The unsecured bond or no-cash bail, was set at US$ 2,50,000 but due to Hamid's strong ties with the US, specially having American wife with significant property there, apparently waived him from any cash payment.

Hamidur, a programme director at the United Nations Development Programme in Manhattan, reportedly contracted with the employee to pay her $420 per week, and submitted that contract to the US State Department to obtain a visa for her.

The employee arrived in the United States in November, 2012 and Hamidur had her sign a new contract with a wage of $290 per week, according to the compliant.

Earlier, Deputy Consul General in New York Shahedul Islam was arrested from his residence in New York based on a case filed by his "absconding" domestic help Mohammed Amin.
Later, he was freed on bail.

Source: unb