Several Awami League leaders abroad

Even after a month of the fall of the Awami League government in face of mass uprising of students and people, many of the Awami League leaders, former ministers and lawmakers are still trying to leave the country. Many have already left. Some were caught on the border while trying to flee the country. There are also reports of death while trying to cross the border.

Several relevant sources say former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, former jute and textile minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Awami League joint general secretary and former lawmaker AFM Bahauddin Nasim crossed the border last week. Before them, former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud, former local government minister Md Tajul Islam, former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, former lawmaker Alauddin Ahmed and popular Awami League leader Shamim Osman left the country after 5 August.

Almost all of the people who have fled or are trying to leave the country are accused in several cases on various allegations including murder charges. So the question remains as to how these people are being able to leave the country so many days after the fall of the Awami League government.

There are rumours that Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, former minister SM Rezaul Karim and several other central leaders have already left the country. However, Prothom Alo couldn’t confirm their whereabouts.

Many of the Awami League leaders assume Obaidul Quader took resort to a border area after the fall of the government. Later he fled to India. A former minister told Prothom Alo that he heard that Obaidul Quader is in Dubai at the moment.

Among the former lawmakers who are relatives of the former prime minister, Sheikh Helal Uddin, his son Shiekh Sarhan Naser Tonmoy, Helal’s brother Sheikh Salahuddin Jewel and former Barishal mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah haven’t got the opportunity to leave the country as yet. They are still in the country, according to various sources.

Meanwhile, Abu Hasanat Abdullah, another relative of Sheikh Hasina left the country for India a few days before the mass uprising. Former Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor left the country with his family on 3 August. He went to Singapore. His family then moved to London in a separate flight.

Fazle Noor’s brother Sheikh Fazle Shams returned home from the USA on 31 July. It has been learnt that he is still in the country.

Former finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal went to Singapore with his family during the movement. The current location of former state minister for power Nasrul Hamid could not be confirmed. However, former law minister Anisul Huq, and Sheikh Hasina’s advisor Salman F Rahman were arrested within just 10 days of the fall of the government. Former state minister for information and technology, Zunaid Ahmed was also arrested from the airport while trying to leave the country. As of last Tuesday, a total of 30 former Awami League ministers, MPs and influential leaders have been arrested.

This correspondent has found information of at least 15 central leaders, former ministers and former lawmakers of the Awami League who left the country after 5 August. There is no information regarding their departure in the documents of the Immigration Department as they left illegally.

Apart from them, there is information about at least 27 former and current leaders of the Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League and other associate bodies who left the country. However, the actual number of people who fled the country is believed to be several hundreds.

Besides, there are at least 13 Awami League leaders who left the country long before 5 August realising the situation in advance.

Asked about the illegal departure of former lawmakers, ministers and leaders of Awami League, home advisor Lieutenant General (retired) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury told Prothom Alo through his spokesperson that the entire border areas across the country are under vigilance. Many of the former lawmakers and a retired justice were arrested from the border as result of the measures taken by the government. These sorts of activities will be continued.

Apart from the central leaders, many of the mid-level leaders of the party also left the country after Sheikh Hasina’s departure with her sister Sheikh Rehana. Besides, many are looking for scope to leave the country. Most of them are accused in several cases filed on the allegations of killing and corruption.

Among the other Awami League leaders who left the country are presidium member AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, former mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation; organising secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud, former chief whip of the parliament; Shafiul Alam Chowdhury alias Nadel, Awami League office secretary Biplab Barua, special assistant to former prime minister; liberation war affairs secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, relief and social welfare affairs secretary Aminul Islam and executive member Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee.

Besides, former state minister for shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, former lawmaker from the Cumilla Sadar constituency AKM Bahauddin Bahar, his daughter and former Cumilla city mayor Tahsin Bahar and former Feni lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari also left the country.

The list also include former Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) president Liakat Sikder, former general secretary Siddiqui Nazmul Alam, Dhaka South city Awami League organising secretary Golam Sarwar Kabir, Jubo League general secretary and former lawmaker Mainul Hossain Nikhil, BCL president Saddam Hossain, general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan, DU BCL president Mazharul Kabir, BCL Dhaka north city unit president Riaz Mahmud and Jubo League publication secretary Joydeb Nandi.

Meanwhile, there have been several reports that controversial police official and former BCL leader Biplab Kumar Sarkar left the country through the Dahagram border of Lalmonirhat on 10 September. It has been learnt that several others are also trying to leave the country in a similar way.

Speaking to family, friend and well-wishers of several Awami League leaders who already have left the country, it has been learnt that the Awami League are using mainly the border areas in Sylhet, Akhaura (Brahmanbaria), Netrakona, Mymensingh, Jashore, Lalmonirhat and other borders in the northern parts of the country. The brokers on each side of the border demand Tk 50,000 to Tk 2-3 million for each person.

Shamsuddin Chowdhury, retired justice of the Appellate Division, was detained by the locals while trying to flee to India through the Kanaihat border in Sylhet on 23 August.

In a video of the incident captured by the locals, Shamsuddin Chowdhury was seen saying he was fleeing to India on a contract of Tk 15,000. However, the people who were helping him cross the border took Tk 6-7 million from him and beat him up on the other side of the border.

In another similar incident, former BCL general secretary Ishak Ali Khan alias Panna was killed while leaving the country through the Dona border in the Kanaighat area of Sylhet. The Meghalaya police told the media after recovering the body that he was strangled to death. Former Awami League lawmaker from Raujan upazila in Chattogram, ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury was arrested from the Akhaura Border in Mymensingh.

Following the fall of the Awami League government, the leaders of the party at different levels and beneficiaries of the previous government went into hiding. Meanwhile, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release published on 18 August that some 626 people, including politicians, judges, administrative officials, police officials and their families, took shelter at different cantonments across the country. Although some of them were arrested later, it is not yet confirmed as to where they moved from the cantonments later.

Apart from them, several highly influential former police officials, including Monirul Islam, Habibur Rahman and Mohammad Harun Ar Rashid, are in hiding at the moment. Some of them are using their relatives to spread propaganda that they have already left the country to evade arrest.

The Indian law enforcement and other relevant agencies are showing a sympathetic attitude to the persons who fled to India without completing immigration and having any VISA. Some of them are trying to move to other countries from India by manipulating the Immigration Department of India. The recently ousted Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) mayor Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury moved to London from India in this process, sources said.

According to several relevant sources, some are making arrangements to get Indian visas and seals of arrival to India and departure from Bangladesh using brokers after illegally entering India.

Relevant sources say the tendency of leaving the country is more prevalent among the wealthy Awami League leaders.

This correspondent spoke to 11 leaders of the Awami League Jubo League at different levels who are in the country regarding this. The leaders have not kept any contact with them since leaving the country. Many have switched off the WhatsApp number they used. Amid such a context, it’s the leaders and activists at the grassroots who suffer the most.

Speaking regarding people accused of crimes against humanity fleeing to India, former additional inspector general of police Nayeem Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “Those who want to flee to India must reach the border first through the country. So it is imperative to learn how they reach the border in the first place. Besides, we have to increase vigilance through setting up checkpoints. Besides, it is also necessary to take action against the people involved in illegal immigration.”

*This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu