Two people, including Sub-Inspector (SI) Mizanur Rahman of Chattogram railway police station, were arrested in an operation by the Detective Branch (DB) on charges of yaba trafficking. After they were arrested with 8,000 yaba pills from Chattogram railway station on 24 November, a case was filed against them at Kotwali police station on drug-trafficking charges. However, the case did not mention that Mizanur is a police officer.
Another police personnel, Md Mohibur Rahman of Chattogram railway district police, was arrested with yaba pills after going on leave on the pretext of appearing in a promotion examination. On 12 October, the Department of Narcotics Control arrested him in Jashore along with 10,000 yaba pills.
Police sources say that several police members had formed a drug-trafficking network under the leadership of the recently transferred officer-in-charge (OC) of Chattogram railway police station, SM Shahidul Islam. An internal investigation by the railway police found evidence of Shahidul’s involvement with SI Mizanur Rahman, who was arrested with yaba.
Shahidul Islam was subsequently transferred to the Chattogram railway police lines. He served as OC of Chattogram railway police station for nearly seven years in multiple tenures. There are allegations that he built a five-storey house in Pahartali, Chattogram, with drug money and acquired vast assets, including houses and land, in his home area of Anwara upazila in Chattogram.
There are allegations against SI Md Dastagir Hossain of Chattogram railway police station that he built a duplex house in Chandanaish, Chattogram, with money earned from drug sales and spent Tk 40 million to build a residential hotel in Cox’s Bazar. Another SI of the same police station, Arab Ali, has also been accused of being involved in the drug network.
Railway police sources say that on 25 June this year, Arab Ali arrested a man named Asaduzzaman (45) with yaba from the ‘Cox’s Bazar Express’ train at Sholoshahar station in Chattogram city. Although 20,000 yaba tablets were recovered from him, only 1,200 tablets were shown when produced in court. Arab Ali is accused of selling the remaining yaba. In court, the accused Asaduzzaman himself admitted that he had been carrying 20,000 yaba pills.
According to police sources, Arab Ali worked at Chattogram railway police station from 2012 to 2019, served with RAB for two years in between, and has been working with the Chattogram railway DB since 2022.
Arab Ali said he is not involved in drug trafficking and that the allegations against him are false.
There are allegations that multiple members of various law enforcement agencies stationed in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar are involved in drug trafficking. Over allegations including underreporting seized yaba in cases and financial irregularities, more than 400 members—including commander Lt Col Kamrul Hasan—of RAB-15 (covering Cox’s Bazar and Bandarban) were transferred en masse between 19 and 27 November. RAB, however, says the transfers were part of routine administrative reshuffling.
Sources say a powerful network for trafficking yaba by train has developed with the assistance of several officials of Chattogram railway police.
Sources within the police say that in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, most members of law enforcement posted there are “managed” by drug traffickers.
Regarding the involvement of railway police members in drugs, additional inspector general of police (railway police chief) Md Zillur Rahman told Prothom Alo that Shahidul Islam was transferred after internal investigations found evidence of his involvement with drugs. He said, “After I assumed responsibility, strict action has been taken against any police member found to be involved with drugs. A decision has been taken not to post officers whose home districts are in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar to the Chattogram railway district police.”
Case filed without mentioning police identity
Investigations revealed that two people were arrested with 8,000 yaba pills during a drive on the main road in front of Chattogram railway station, which falls under Kotwali police station of Chattogram Metropolitan Police. One of the arrestees was SI Mizanur Rahman of Chattogram railway police station. He was on duty at the time of his arrest with yaba.
After his arrest, Railway police initially tried to suppress the matter. However, the case was filed after a senior official of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) became aware of it. At the request of a senior official of the Chattogram railway district police, the case did not mention that Mizanur Rahman was a police officer.
Asked why the case did not identify the accused as a police officer, Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan DB (north) Md Habibur Rahman Pramanik told Prothom Alo that it was not known at the time of filing the case whether he was a police member. He said senior officials were informed after the investigating officer learned of the identity.
Duplex house, residential hotel
A Railway Police source said SI Dastagir Hossain joined the police as an SI in 2019. His home is in Cox’s Bazar sadar police station area. While working at the Baharchhara investigation centre in Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar, he was accused of involvement in drug trafficking, and a departmental inquiry was initiated, though it did not progress far. He was later transferred to the Chattogram Railway Range on 9 January this year. Allegations say that after being transferred to the Railway Police, he again became involved in yaba trafficking.
Investigations and railway police sources say Dastagir is building a duplex house in his village; construction of one floor has already been completed. He also built a paved road in the area with his own money. In Cox’s Bazar, he has built a residential hotel named Sea Shark Resort. Initially, land was purchased in the name of his father-in-law, and the hotel was built there; later, it was gifted to his wife, Sairin Sultana.
Dastagir Hossain said he has a one-storey house in the village that was built long ago by his father. He said the residential hotel is in the name of his father-in-law and is family property.
Lack of surveillance on trains
Sources say a monthly meeting of the anti-smuggling task force is held at the Chattogram Divisional Commissioner’s Office. Based on the decisions of those meetings, scanners were installed at Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar railway stations to prevent drug trafficking. However, due to manpower shortages, the scanners cannot be operated at full capacity, according to Railway sources.
Regarding this, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Chattogram region Md Mostafizur Rahman told Prothom Alo that it is not possible to bring all passengers under scanner coverage. The luggage and bags of suspicious passengers are searched through scanners. Even so, drugs are sometimes recovered from trains. An internal investigation is underway to determine whether anyone involved in operating the scanners is connected to drug trafficking.
Officials concerned with the Railway Police say that due to the lack of strict monitoring, some police members become involved with drugs, making it difficult to prevent drug trafficking by train. To strengthen surveillance, a proposal to establish a Railway Police Station at Cox’s Bazar Railway Station has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Former IGP Nurul Huda told Prothom Alo that if any police member is involved in drugs, strict legal action must be taken, and the person must be arrested.