100,000 seized yaba pills ‘vanish’, carrier released on OC’s orders

Bakalia police in Chattogram reportedly seized 100,000 yaba pills from a police officer. However, these drugs were allegedly filched and the suspect released without any case being filed against him.

According to a police investigation report, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the station ordered the release of the carrier and attempted to cover up the incident.

The investigation report, which recommended legal action against those involved, was sent to the Police Headquarters on 29 April. However, no action has been taken against the accused OC so far.

Nearly six months have passed since the incident, yet a formal case is still to be filed. The embezzled yaba pills have not been recovered, and the policeman accused of trafficking remains at large.

The incident occurred on 8 December last year while the suspect was traveling from Cox’s Bazar to Chattogram city. The matter came to light after an audio recording of a conversation between the suspect and another individual surfaced on social media.

Following the leak, a police investigation committee was formed, led by Additional Commissioner (Traffic) Md Wahidul Haque Chowdhury.

Aftab Uddin, who was serving as the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bakalia Police Station at the time of the incident, is currently the OC of Chattogram’s Kotwali Police Station. While eight police personnel were suspended after the investigation found preliminary evidence, no action has been taken against OC Aftab Uddin.

The suspended officers include Sub-Inspectors (SI) Md. Al-Amin Sarkar and Md. Amir Hossain, Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI) Saiful Alam, Ziaur Rahman, Saddam Hossain and Enamul Haque; and Constables Rashedul Hasan and Umme Habiba Shwapna.

The police member accused of carrying the yaba pills has been identified as Imtiaz Hossain, who served as a gunman for a judge at the Cox’s Bazar District Court. He was suspended following the incident.

Most recently, on 9 June, Tanveer Ahmed, who was the Inspector (Investigation) of Bakalia Police Station during the incident, was also suspended.

Despite nearly six months passing, no formal case has been initiated. While the probe report recommended filing a case, the police have failed to recover the embezzled yaba pills or arrest the accused officer.

The investigation report specifically indicted the OC, stating that under Section 46 of the Narcotics Control Act 2018, drug-related offenses are cognizable. Despite this, the OC violated Regulation 244 of the PRB (Police Regulations Bengal) and committed an offense under Section 29 of the Police Act by releasing a suspect detained with narcotics without filing a case.

According to the report, Aftab Uddin, the then-OC of Bakalia Police Station, took no action regarding the ‘disappearance’ of the yaba pills and failed to preserve CCTV footage of the scene. Inspector (Investigation) Tanveer Ahmed, despite being part of the raid, released the carrier on the OC’s orders. Eight other members of the Bakalia police were also involved in the operation. The report recommended departmental action, criminal penalties and the filing of a regular case against all involved.

Abdus Sattar, former president of the Chattogram District Bar Association, told Prothom Alo that since the recovery of narcotics is a cognizable offence, the OC committed a crime by releasing the detainee.

A criminal case should be filed to investigate the role of the officers on duty and why no FIR or seizure list was prepared despite the recovery of evidence. It must also be determined if the accused officer was given any illegal advantage through the secret handover of the drugs, he added.

The six-page investigation report details a chilling sequence of events. It states that Constable Imtiaz was transporting a luggage filled with 100,000 yaba pills from an individual named Md. Mosharraf in Cox's Bazar, bound for Dhaka. He was reportedly promised Tk 80,000 for the delivery.

As the Desh Travels bus (Dhaka Metro-Ba 15-1642) crossed the Shah Amanat Bridge over the Karnaphuli River, ASI Saddam Hossain of Bakalia Police Station and a plainclothes police source boarded the vehicle. They woke up Imtiaz, who was asleep. Imtiaz identified himself as a member of the police force and produced his ID card. He was then offloaded and taken to a nearby police box.

Shortly after, two other policemen retrieved Imtiaz's luggage from the bus and brought it to the box. When the bus supervisor, Md. Mizan approached the police box, SI Amir Hossain ordered him to leave immediately. The driver, Md. Sultan, then resumed the journey toward Dhaka.

According to the report, Imtiaz stated during interrogation that Inspector (Investigation) Tanveer Ahmed and SI Al-Amin Sarkar were present in the police box in plainclothes. The police source opened the luggage, caught a glimpse of the drugs and quickly shut it. Imtiaz then pleaded to be released. After the officers consulted among themselves, they opened the packages in front of him. There were 10 packets, each containing 10,000 pills; a total of 100,000 yaba tablets.

The police officers then took possession of the entire consignment of yaba and returned the luggage, containing only clothes, to Imtiaz. Imtiaz left the police box, took a CNG-run auto-rickshaw to the Alankar Moqr bus stand and returned to his village home in Cumilla.

The investigation report explicitly noted that the yaba was embezzled and the suspect released on the direct orders of Bakalia OC Aftab Uddin. When asked for comment, Aftab Uddin told Prothom Alo, "I know nothing about the yaba. I did not embezzle it. I was in my home when the incident occurred."

The investigation report found that Inspector (Investigation) Tanveer Ahmed, SIs Al-Amin Sarkar and Amir Hossain, and ASI Saddam Hossain committed a crime by misappropriating 100,000 yaba pills and releasing the suspect instead of taking legal action.

Furthermore, ASI's Saiful Alam, Ziaur Rahma and Enamul Haque, along with Constables Rashedul and Umme Habiba Shwapna, were found guilty of aiding these illegal activities and providing false statements to higher authorities.

The report recommended filing a formal criminal case to recover the embezzled drugs, arresting the supplier Mosharraf and identifying the civilian ‘checkers' who were present with the police at the checkpoint.

Additional Commissioner (Traffic), Md. Wahidul Haque Chowdhury, who submitted the investigation report, told Prothom Alo that as the allegations were found to be true, the suspension of eight personnel was recommended. They were subsequently suspended. The report also recommended departmental action, criminal penalties and the filing of a regular case against those involved.

Additionally, recommendations for the suspension of the then-OC and the Inspector (Investigation) of Bakalia Police Station were sent to Police Headquarters. Following this, Inspector (Investigation) Tanveer Ahmed was suspended on 9 June.

Meanwhile, a departmental case has been initiated against the eight police members of Bakalia Police Station based on the investigation report. Additional Deputy Commissioner (West) Abdullah Mohammad Sheikh Sadi, who is investigating the matter, said, "The investigation against the eight is still ongoing."

Notably, police officers from the rank of Constable to SI can be suspended by the Commissioner or the Superintendent of Police. Inspectors are suspended by the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

When asked why no regular case had been filed and why the 100,000 missing yaba tablets had yet to be recovered, newly appointed Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner Hasan Md Shawkat Ali told Prothom Alo, “We are looking into why a regular case has not been filed so far regarding the disappearance of the yaba tablets. I maintain a zero-tolerance stance against narcotics.”