Scared of even mentioning Julo Bahini's name

Youth on motorcycles, horns blasting, make a display of their arms. They enter the government hospital premises and hack two leaders  of Chhatra League and Jubo League to death. They celebrate the killing in broad daylight. They open fire on the police. This is the Julo's gang and their recent escapades.

His full name is Partho Chowdhury alias Mohsin Chowdhury alias Julo and he is 36 years old. In Patia, Chattogram, everyone knows him as the head of the 'teen gang' Julo Bahini. The gang as 150 members and is involved in drug dealing, mugging, robbery, land grabbing, harassing women and other crime. The local people are scared to even mention Julo's name.

However, this changed somewhat on 27 April. On that day Julo Bahini stabbed to death Raju Hossain alias Guli Raju in a fight over sharing drug money. The police arrested Julo and an associate. But the local people are still in fear as the other members of the gang haven't been nabbed as yet.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, the Chattogram district superintendent of police SM Shafiullah said that there was no cause for alarm. Julo and one of his associates had been arrested. A drive is on to arrest the other members.

There are nine cases against Julo in Chattogram city and Patia on charges of murder, robbery, snatching, harassing women and assault. Though he claims to be a leader of Jubo League, he has no party post. However, he is known to be a follower of former joint convener of Patia upazila Jubo League, DM Jamiruddin. Jamir is a follower of Motaherul Islam Chowdhury, member of parliament and Chattogram south district Awami League president.

Julo Bahini reportedly became reckless in recent times due to Jamiruddin's indulgence. Julo would take part with his people in various political rallies of Jamir. However, Patia Jubo League leader Jamiruddin denies these allegations. He told Prothom Alo, Julo is no one in their party. The question is indulging him doesn't arise. Jamir demanded that Julo be punished.

Juno Bahini's main hang-out is at Shuchakradandi near Patia Munsef Bazar along the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway. Their drug trade and other crimes are carried out in the vacant marshes of the area. Raju Hossain alias Guli Raju used to be Julo's right-hand man. But when a fight broke out over sharing drug money on 27 April, Raju was killed in broad daylight in a marsh in Shuchakradandi. Raju at one time had been shot in the leg by RAB when he had fled from them and from then he had been known as Guli (bullet) Raju.

Councillor of Patia pourashava ward 2, Rupok Kumar Sen, speaking to Prothom Alo, said that the local residents lived in terror of Julo and his gang. They are involved in drugs, teen gangs, mugging and other crimes.

According to the police, Julo has a 150-member gang in Oxygen area of Chattogram city and in the district's Patia pourashava. The members of his gang include 15 to 16-year-old teens as well as 40-year-olds.

Speaking to police and local residents, it was learnt that Raju Bahini's right hand Zubair, Taiju Islam alias Arman, Md Sakib, Md Misbah, Md Asfi, Ayat, Hakim Chowdhury, Anayet Abid and Md Farman were Julo's constant companions.

During a visit on Sunday to the Patia pourashava area, the people were too scared of Julo to speak out. A shopkeeper in Palli Mangal of the pourashava told Prothom Alo, on condition of anonymity, that Julo Bahini men would help themselves to whatever they wanted from his shop. They sometimes paid, but mostly took on credit. They beat him up two months ago when he protested.

Going around the spot and speaking to the local residents and students of Patia, it was learnt that the Julo gang would harass girls on their way to and from school. They would blast the hydraulic horns of their motorbikes to create panic in the area. They went into hiding at the end of last month after the killing of Raju.

Local residents say Julo Bahini would often go around the area snatching people's possessions. It was extremely risky going out after dark in the area. On 11 March 2022 Julo Bahini snatched Tk 180,000 from salt trader Anwar Hossain. A case was filed against Julo in this regard and the police even submitted a charge sheet. The salt trader says that the case is under trial, but he hasn't got his money back yet.

A case was filed on 19 January 2018 against Julo and seven of his associates for committing robbery in Patia Batlia Kartala area. Plaintiff of the case Md Ismail told Prothom Alo, Julo and his armed gang entered four houses and took away various goods. He has filed a case but is scared.

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After killing Raju, Julo and his gang celebrated, the people of Patia pourashava's Shukradandi Palli Mangal area said last Sunday. The local people have been in fear since the incident. The local people said, after the killing, the gang started shouting at Raju's family, Raju has been killed, take away his body! A neighbour of Raju said, they had come in front of the house and told us to take away Raju's body. You can realise how reckless they are!

Raju's mother Nurunnesa Begum told Prothom Alo that her son had been part of Julo's gang before. As he had mended his ways, they called Raju and killed him hear the house. She wants justice for this incident.

Julo was so violent that when the police would try to nab him, he would even open fire at the police. Six years ago two members of the police in the city has been injured in such a shooting. A case in this incident is under trial. On 17 February 2018 the Panchlaish police set up a checkpost at Sholashahar Gate 2 area in the city. When they signalled Julo's motorcycle to stop, immediately he opened fire on them.

Describing the incident, city police officer's mess in charge Palash Chandra Ghosh told Prothom Alo, he was hit by a bullet in the spine. He later recovered after undergoing treatment. One of his fellow police officers Abdul Malek, ASI of Panchlaish police station at the time, had been shot in the leg. He underwent lengthy treatment and still walked with a limp.

The violent criminal Julo lives in both Chattogram and Patia. On 30 April the rolice carried out a raid in Bayezid Bostami to catch Julo. Speaking to Prothom Alo, the officer-in-charge (OC) Chattogram district detective branch police, Abu Zaid Mohammad Najmun Nur, said that in order to avoid arrest, Julo jumped for the roof of one house to the other and jumped over walls in a manner not possible on the part of most criminals. They laid siege to the area and in a four-hour operation they managed to arrest him in possession off arms and ammunition.

Partho Chowdhury alias Mohsin Chowdhury alias Julo Chowdhury is the son of Palak Chowdhury of Shuchakradandi in Patia pourashava. He had studied up till Class 6. He worked at motorcycle garages and various shops in Chattogram city. While living in the city, he came into touch with the city's top terror, now deceased, Amit Muhiri and from a young age got involved in crime. Of the 11 cases listed against him with the police, four include snatching and theft in various thanas of the city. The remaining seven cases including for murder, are in Patia.

His mother Prantika Chowdhury doesn't  live in their village home in Patia because of Julo. Julo's uncle Rupom Chowdhury told Prothom Alo, they have no contact with Julo.