Abba Bahini on the other side of Buriganga

Although a certain father is a union level leader and son is a supporter of the ruling Awami League, they have to pay local criminals so they can run their business.

As they refused to submit to such extortion, members of the criminal gang, 'Abba Bahini', stabbed them and injured them critically.

The incident took place at the end of 2023 (specific date not mentioned at victims' request). The father and the son did not file any case in fear of repercussions. They have requested Prothom Alo not to mention their names.

Another father and son run this 'Abba Bahini'. The location is Suvadda union of Keraniganj on the other side of Buriganga on the outskirts of Dhaka. The father is Basher Uddin, Suvadda union Awami League president and his son is Aftab Uddin alias Rabbi. He was the organising secretary of Swechchhashebak League South Keraniganj thana. He was suspended on 12 January.

There are about 40 members of Abba Bahini. Locals and Awami League leaders said there are various allegations including drug dealing, extortion, snatching, land grabbing controlling of cable television connections and LPG businesses against them.

If anyone protests against these illegal activities, they attack them and torture them in the torture cells. They have two torture cells.

Nobody wants to talk against the gang in fear of coming under attack. Locals alleged they do not get any remedy from the local police, rather they have to fall into trouble.

However, the situation has changed a bit after 10 January. Members of Abba Bahini tortured one of their members, Saiful Islam alias Rasel, for six hours at the torture cell over sharing extortion money on the day. As a video clip of the torture went viral on the social media, there was a huge uproar. In the face of criticism, the police arrested 12 members including Aftab, son of Basher Uddin. Basher went into hiding leaving the locality.

Two correspondents of Prothom Alo visited Suvadda union for three days from 17 January and talked to 15 victims tortured by the Abba Bahini. They described the incidents. They were reluctant to disclose their names. Only one family, which left the locality after being tortured by Abba Bahini, has agreed to disclose their identity. Now they don't live in Suvadda.

Preferring not to be named, speaking to Prothom Alo, a businessman in Suvadda said Abba Banhini would not face any punishment in connection with Rasel murder if the video didn't go viral. Now human chains and processions are being organised.

He also said Suvadda is still in control of Abba Bahini as the brother of Basher and Aftab's uncle Iqbal Hossain is chairman of Suvadda union parishad. He is the patron of Abba Bahini. Nobody has trust in the police.

There is a road to the left after crossing the second Buriganga bridge in Babu Bazar in Dhaka. After travelling along the road for about a kilometer, Suvadda union begins. Suvadda is one of 12 unions in Keraniganj.

According to the population census in 2011, around 200,000 people live in Suvadda. However, public representatives said the population has doubled. Alongside the local people, low income people of Old Dhaka live in the Suvadda union and it has expanded in an unplanned manner.

There are small dyeing factories, spare-part factories and water vessel repair workshops in Suvadda union. After launching the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Highway from Dhaka to Bhanga of Faridpur, housing businesses are purchasing land there.

Locals said Abba Bahini started to grow a decade ago. UP chairman Iqbal Hossain and his brother Basher had groups. Later, those people turned into a gang. Basher is now the key player. His son led on the ground. UP chairman Iqbal is the patron.

In the beginning, this was not known as Abba Bahini. This name came to limelight recently. Local Awami League leaders call the field leader Aftab of the gang, 'Abba' as his uncle Iqbal Hossain is Dhaka district Awami League joint general secretary and Suvadda union chairman. The name of Aftab's gang has become Abba Bahini due to him being called "abba" by leaders.

Denying that he patronising Abba Bahini, Subadda union chairman Iqbal Hossain said he has freed Suvadda from criminals. He is always in favour of righteousness.

One of the two torture cells that Abba Bahini operates is in the house bought by the chairman. Amir Hossain is the caretaker of the house. He has been arrested in a case filed in connection with Rasel murder.

The house is located in the Char Mirerbagh area in Suvadda union. While visiting on Monday morning, a tin-shed house with several rooms was found. The house is surrounded by a boundary wall. Photo of chairman Iqbal Hossain is displayed on the wall. The gate of the house is locked.

When this correspondent tried to take a photo from an adjacent house, a group of people surrounded this correspondent. In the face of their aggression, the correspondent had to move away after deleting some photos.

The distance of Telghat from Char Mirerbagh is about one kilometer. There is a two-storey shopping complex named Parvin Tower there. The second torture cell of Abba Bahini is on the ground floor. Rasel was tortured to death there. In a picture which went viral on social media in connection with the incident, it was found that Rasel is on the floor half-dead. His body bears the marks of beating. At least 13 members are sitting on chairs on two sides. There is a table and a chair on the front. Abba Bahini's field leader Aftab is sitting on the chair.

Deceased Rasel has a father, mother, wife and a child. Speaking to Prothom Alo, his wife Moushumi said they left the locality in fear after the murder of Rasel. She went to a court in Dhaka last Sunday. Members of Abba Bahini kept her under their surveillance there too.

Alamgir Hossain, a resident of Char Khejurbagh area in Suvadda union, has been in the cable business for about 20 years. Abba Bahini carried out an attack on him and his two sons due to a business-related dispute. A case was filed in connection with the incident at a police station.

According to the case statement, a group of 25 people participated in the attack. Alamgir was critically injured, beaten with a rod and hockey stick. He was admitted to Mitford Hospital. His sons were also injured.
Regarding the incident, Alamgir was not willing to talk to Prothom Alo.

However, preferring not to be named, one his relatives said the police have not arrested anyone in the case filed over the incident. Later Suvadda union chairman Iqbal Hossain called the victims and threatened them telling them to withdraw the case. The matter was suppressed in the name of "negotiation".

They were forced to carry out the order and they withdrew the case.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, chairman Iqbal Hossain said he settled the issue as both the parties came.

Relatives of a person tortured by Abba Bahini at the end of 2023 said the members of the gang not only beat him up but also handed him over to police on false charges. The police later sent him to court accusing him in a case.

Some victims narrated the torture they had suffered but did not want their ordeals to be published. They fear the Abba Bahini might torture them again if the stories are published. Most of the victims claimed the police did not take any action when the incidents were reported.  Rather, the members of the gang used to be informed.

The police claim that they did not receive any information about any such gang and having good rapport with them is out of question.

Dhaka district police superintendent (SP) Asaduzzaman told Prothom Alo on Tuesday night that police never received any complaint about this group in the past. Some information is coming out now. Law enforcers are investigating these allegations.

However, South Keraniganj police station’s inspector (investigation) Mohammad Masudur Rahman was temporarily suspended after the murder of Rasel. He allegedly had good relations with the Abba Bahini gang. He went to Aftab’s torture cell and snapped a picture with him. He posed sitting on the chair of Aftab.

Businessman Abid Hossain and his family members were forced to leave home facing torture of ‘Abba Bahini’.

Businessman Abid Hossain and his wife Maryam bought a piece of land and built a house at Suvadda’s Char Mirerbagh area over 12 years ago. They used to live at the house with five children.

Maryam told Prothom Alo that Abba Bahini members attacked and looted their house last April as they obstructed drug selling and opposed the associates of the chairman. The members of Maryam’s family were confined for three days. Since then, the family left the area.

Maryam said, “On the third day of confinement, they broke open the gate and looted our house. I hid my children in the toilet out of fear.”

Police rescued the family as Maryam called on 999 (emergency service). However, the family members were kept at the Telghat outpost for more than 12 hours. The members of Abba Bahini went there and threatened them in front of the police. The police even did not take a case.

Maryam said that the next day they went to chairman Iqbal's office. The chairman asked them to leave the locality.

Chairman Iqbal told Prothom Alo, “That woman (Maryam) is not good. It is a conflict between local people.”

However, Suvadda union parishad’s member of Ward No. 7 Sadek Hossain told Prothom Alo, “That woman (Maryam) is brave. She was driven out of the area by slandering as she protested drug trade.”

Maryam’s house was found under lock and keys during a visit on Monday. A group of people encircled this correspondent as soon as this correspondent went to Maryam’s house at Char Mirerbagh. They said they locked the house upon consultation with the chairman.

Sub inspector Jillur Rahman was on duty at Telghat police outpost when Abba Bahini members were threatening Maryam’s family there.  He is now posted at Rupganj police station in Narayanganj.  When asked about the incident, Jillur said chairman Iqbal is not a good person and the officer-in -charge of that police station can say well as to why the case was not received.

Mohammad Shahjahan was officer-in-charge of Keraniganj police station at that time.  Now he is the OC of Gazipur’s Sreepur. Shahjahan told Prothom Alo that he cannot remember any such incident.

As Prothom Alo started working on the incident, the police have now become active in investigating the case. Maryam told Prothom Alo on Tuesday night that the police have now accepted a GD over the incident that took place 9 months ago.

Prothom Alo has talked to nine businessmen of Suvadda union. They said they had to give Abba Bahini Tk 300,000 to Tk one million at a time or in phases. Some of them had to give the gang money to retrieve their land that was occupied.

After the murder of Rasel, the gang members who were arrested other than Aftab are Alamgir Hossain alias Thandu, Md Shipon, Amir Hossain, Delwar Hossain alias Delu, Md Roni, Anik Hasan alias Hira, Md Sajib, Firoz, Razib Ahmed, Mahfuzur Rahman and Ratan Sheikh. They were sent to jail after remand.  Ten of them including Aftab have given confessional statements in the court. The members of the gang who are still at large include Hannan, Lakka, Fahim, Ovi, Sajjad, Shahin, Rana, Bappi, Jumman, Rakib, Salauddin, Michel and Hiron. They are hiding now.

South Keraniganj thana Awami League’s president and Keraniganj upazila chairman Shahin Ahmed told Prothom Alo that it cannot be denied that the accused persons were involved with Awami League politics. But none can be spared for doing the politics of Awami League.

Meanwhile, one victim said he went to Awami League leaders alongside the police with compliant about Abba Bahini’s torture. But they did not cooperate with him, alleged the victim. 

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo online and print editions, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.