AL MP patronising drug trade!

At least 15 influential persons of Rajshahi are engaged in trading and smuggling drugs into the country, says a home ministry report.

A former state minister is named in the report as the patron of the drug traders in the northern district. The illicit drug items that are being traded include phensedyl, heroine and yaba.

The man in question is Omar Faruk Chowdhury, a member of parliament from Rajshahi-1 constituency (Tanore-Godagari) and also district unit president of ruling Awami League.

The home ministry report has observed that a section of unscrupulous politicians is making money from this illegal trade, often utilising the innocent people.

Denying the allegation and expressing his ignorance about the report, MP Omar Faruk Chowdhury blamed his political rival and a former police officer for hatching conspiracy against him.

"Former deputy inspector general of police Matiur Rahman hailing from Godagari may conspire against me," he said.

Matiur Rahman, who was removed from the service in 2001, is now an advisor to the AL district unit. He is a potential nomination seeker from the AL in the next general elections.

Matiur Rahman was unwilling to talk about the allegation against him. "I hardly talk foul. Those who take bribe do not do it very publicly," he just said.

Omar Faruk said he is the convener of a sub-committee on drug smuggling at the home ministry. "As certain measures are being taken as per my recommendations, some people may not like it," Faruk argued.

The report, sent to Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner's office in the middle of 2017, also named Godagari municipality's former mayor and Jamaat leader Aminul Islam as another patron. He just denied the allegation.

According to the report, drug trade created new drug addicts who, again, are engaged in criminal activities including snatching and murder to collect money for buying drugs.

Those who are named in the home ministry report include Rabiul Islam alias Rabi, 35, Nawshad Ali, 60, Md Selim, 30, Md Hazrat Ali, 35, Nazibur Rahman 35, Tofazzal, 37, Haidar Ali, 43, Sohel, 28, Setabur Rahman alias Babu, 27 and Tipu, 25, all hailing from Godagari.

The rest are Md Ashraf Ali, 42 hailing from Charghat upazila, Md Selim, Khuku Rani and Md Siddique from Durgapur upazila and Jabbar Ali from Kodalkati village of Chapainawabganj.

This correspondent talked to people from different walks of life and asked them about the 15 persons named by the home ministry. The locals alleged that they are involved in the drug trade and most of them are also accused in cases filed in connection with drug trade and smuggling.

A local police officer was also named as collaborator of drug traders, at the district law and order committee meeting held last month. Godagari municipality mayor Monirul Islam categorically alleged that Godagari police station officer-in-charge Hipzur Alam Munshi often harrassed the commoners while releasing the actual drug peddlers.

Additional deputy inspector general of Rajshahi range of police Nisharul Arif said an allegation against Hipzur has been proved and he might be punished.

On the political front, Nawshad Ali, a former Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader hailing from Madarpur of Godagari who joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), is a suspected drug trader, according to the home ministry report.

There are also allegations of drug trading against his two sons -- Jahangir and Alamgir. Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) reportedly caught Jahangir with 200,000 yaba tablets in Comilla last year. There is a case against him with Godagari police station.

The family has established a rehabilitation centre for drug addicts in Mahishalbari area of Godagari, allegedly to cover up drug trading.

Nawshad, however, denied the allegation.

MP Omar Faruk Chowdhury had visited Nawshad Ali's house several times and attended party there, according to the allegations.

Omar Faruk said, "I went to Nawshad's house ahead of the national elections in 2014."

The home ministry list also named Setabur Rahman as drug trader, who joined the AL deserting the BNP.

Setabur, however, denied the allegation.

He was also seen with MP Omar Faruk Chowdhury at a party.

"When I go to my locality, many people come to me, and I can't drive them away," said Faruk.

Another case of a drug trader who changed his party loyalty from the BNP to the AL, is Sohel Rana, youth and sports secretary of Godagari unit AL. In connection with a drug trading case, the police on 6 June 2017 arrested Rana, who has used the MP's photo in his facebook profile.

The MP said, "Sohel has photos with major politicians. But my photo with him was published after he was arrested."

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Rajshahi superintendent of police Moazzem Hossian Bhuiyan said they are working on the basis of the home ministry report.

About the MP, the police officer said his name might have come for his involvement with politics and his connection with many people."This doesn't prove in any way his involvement in the drug trading," the police super said.

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