3 among Toyota MD granted bail after surrender

A Dhaka court on Thursday granted bail to three officials of Toyota Bangladesh, including its managing director, after they surrendered before the court in a case filed over allegations of fraud and breach of trust.

The accused are Premjit Singh, managing director of Toyota Bangladesh and a Malaysian national; Akio Ogawa, vice president of Toyota Tsusho Asia Pacific and a Japanese national; and Asif Rahman, general manager of Toyota Tsusho Corporation.

The three appeared before the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joshita Islam through their lawyers and sought bail. The court granted them bail on bonds of Tk 1,000 each and ordered the case to be transferred for trial.

Earlier on February 8, the same court took cognisance of the investigation report submitted by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) and issued summons asking the accused to appear before the court.

According to court sources, the case was filed on July 9, 2025 by Shafiul Islam on behalf of Navana Limited, alleging fraudulent activities intended to harm the company’s business interests. The court recorded the complainant’s statement and later directed the PBI to investigate the matter.

According to the case statement, Navana Limited has long served as the exclusive distributor of Toyota-branded vehicles in Bangladesh in partnership with Toyota Tsusho Corporation of Japan. The accused allegedly submitted false and misleading reports on market conditions and performance in an attempt to weaken Navana’s position as the exclusive distributor, thereby damaging its business capability and reputation.

Following the investigation, PBI Inspector Syed Sazedur Rahman submitted a report to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court on December 8 confirming the allegations.

The investigation report said the accused deliberately delayed the production of vehicles ordered by customers and failed to provide mandatory manufacturer invoices required for customs clearance. This disrupted Navana Limited’s regular import and supply process.

As a result, the company allegedly suffered financial losses, reputational damage and faced potential customs complications and penalties.

MAL/AM