JCD leader, teen gang leader Ratan’s phone conversation surfaces: What did they discuss?

Amid controversy over the presence of Imran Hossain alias Ratan, 25, a notorious teen gang leader, at processions organised by the Jubo Dal and Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal (JCD) in Cumilla, a video of a conversation between him and Md Mohsin, vice-president of the Cumilla City JCD, has now surfaced on social media.

In the two-minute-three-second video, the two can be heard discussing Ratan’s presence at the procession and news reports published about him.

The video, which surfaced on Thursday, does not show Ratan’s face. While speaking over loudspeaker, he had another person beside him record the conversation. A young woman can also be heard speaking next to him in the video.

JCD leader Mohsin said the conversation took place last Saturday. He said that after reports appeared in the media describing a teen gang leader being present at the JCD leader’s procession, he received a call from a number belonging to a person who introduced himself as Imran.

On 23 September, a protest march was held in Cumilla as part of a central programme, with leaders and activists of the Cumilla City and South District Jubo Dal and JCD taking part. A video showing Mohsin at the front of the procession and Ratan walking directly behind him circulated on social media on 25 September.

The incident subsequently sparked discussion and criticism. Imran Hossain Ratan is the leader of one of the most prominent teen gangs in Cumilla city, known as the ‘Ratan Group’ or ‘R Squad’.

Amid the criticism, Mohsin claimed at a press conference on 28 September that he had no personal or political ties with Ratan. He said he did not know how Ratan had ended up standing behind him among the thousands of people in the large procession. He also claimed that he had never seen or known Ratan before.

The leaked phone conversation however shows the two discussing Ratan’s presence at the procession and media reports about him. Some excerpts from the conversation are reproduced below:

Ratan: What are you saying? Listen to this again, brother.

Mohsin: I told you; if you had just told me, I would have answered you.

Ratan: I don’t remember all that now. I’m asking you now, brother, did we go to the programme for ourselves?

Mohsin: Did I say you came for me? Didn’t you come for us?

Ratan: Yes.

Mohsin: Journalists have been calling me. After seeing your video, they’re saying, “Mohsin was seen with Ratan, a teen gang leader, an armed criminal and an accused in a murder case.”

Ratan: Yes.

Mohsin: Okay? A journalist called me and then asked, “Do you know Ratan? He was at your procession.” I said there were 1,000 people in my procession. I was given the responsibility of maintaining discipline during the procession. That was my responsibility. Who here is a teen gang leader and who is a criminal—I don’t know that. I have no association with any teen gang leader or criminal.

Ratan: Hmm.

Mohsin: Are you a criminal? Did you commit any murder here yesterday? Did you kill anyone at the procession?

Ratan: No.

Mohsin: Did you kill anyone? Were you carrying a machete in your hand? That’s what I said.

Ratan: Yes.

Mohsin: I am giving you the news.

Ratan: Brother, many people are giving me the news. You understand, brother... What do you want me to do about this now?

Mohsin: Listen to me. They’re calling you an armed person and an accused in a murder case. Did I say that, or did the journalists say it?

Ratan: Whoever said it, brother, you should have said that he came to Rubel’s programme or came to our programme. You should have said that. There was no display of weapons here. Shouldn’t you have said that? There was no display of weapons here. They came to the programme.

Mohsin: Listen to what I’m saying. Look at the news. If you watch the news, you’ll hear what I said. Listen to it.

Ratan: Brother, I’ve heard it, brother, listen. I’m saying now, you should have said that he came to us, that he came to Rubel’s programme. You didn’t say that, brother...

The name ‘Rubel’ came up several times in Ratan’s remarks in the leaked phone conversation. He tried to explain to Mohsin that he had come to ‘Rubel Bhai’s programme’. Looking into the matter it was found that the name ‘Rubel’ refers to Atik Selim alias Rubel, joint convener of the Cumilla City Jubo Dal.

Rubel has political ties with Mohsin. They are residents of the same area and were previously involved in politics with the same political organisation, the Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal. Local residents know Mohsin as a former follower of Rubel, who is now a Jubo Dal leader.

When asked about the matter on Thursday night, Atik Selim alias Rubel told Prothom Alo that he had invited Mohsin to a larger programme organised by the Jubo Dal. Leaders and activists of the JCD, Jubo Dal and Swecchasebak Dal were allowed to take part in the programme. Mohsin attended the procession as a political activist from the same ward as Rubel.

According to Rubel, he had invited leaders and activists from different levels of the organisation to the programme. He had asked Mohsin to take part in the programme while maintaining discipline in the procession. However, he said he had no personal connection with or responsibility for whom Mohsin brought to the procession or who accompanied him.

Rubel also claimed that he does not involve teenagers or minors in politics. He said he did not know how or with whom Ratan had come to the procession. According to him, he had invited leaders and activists from different levels of the organisation, and it was their own responsibility to know who accompanied them to the procession.

When asked about the phone conversation, Mohsin told Prothom Alo on Thursday night that a person named Imran had called him on Saturday and spoken to him. However, he said he had not made any statement during the conversation suggesting that he had asked Ratan to attend the programme. He also claimed that there had been an attempt to deliberately implicate him.

Asked about the phone conversation, Cumilla City JCD President Nahiduzzaman Rana told Prothom Alo on Thursday night that they had always been campaigning against teen gangs and drugs. After the first video, they became aware of the second video showing a conversation between Mohsin and the teen gang leader. He said they were looking into the matter. The issue would then be reported to central leaders, who would take the necessary organisational action.

Police have also said they will investigate the matter. Asked about it, Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Touhidul Anwar told Prothom Alo that the video would be investigated. Necessary legal action would then be taken.