Jubo League accommodates criminals
Crime and violence are not alien to Jubo League. Within two months of Dhaka South committee of Jubo League being formed in 2013, its organising secretary Reazul Huq Khan alias Milki was murdered. The very next day, its joint secretary SM Zahid Siddiqui alias Tarek was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). It had been said that Tarik was instrumental in getting Reazul killed, as part of a power tussle over control in the criminal world.
After they were killed, there was a lull in Jubo League’s inner conflict over extortion, gambling, casinos and control over tenders in the Motijheel-Fakirapool area. Joint secretary of the committee, AKM Mominul Huq alias Sayeed and organising secretary Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan came to the limelight. Others of the ruling party’s youth front Jubo League also got involved in the crime racket of the area.
Most leaders of the organisation were well aware of the criminal activities of these persons, but indulged rather disciplined them. Many leaders received a cut from the illegally procured profits. At times, under various pressures, one or two of the underhand leaders were expelled, but were very soon drawn back into the fold.
Jubo League was also a haven for many criminals who paid for positions in the organisation. They used the ruling party label to amass huge amounts of wealth. Office assistants, hotel waiters and even bus ticket sellers become wealthy almost overnight after joining Jubo League.
Dhaka City South Jubo League’s president Ismail Hossain Chowdhury alias Samrat took control of the criminal world in the area. He was known to be the closest associate of Jubo League’s top leader Omar Faruk Chowdhury. In 2017, Omar Faruk Chowdhury declared Dhaka City South Jubo League to be the best organisational unit in the country and Ismail Hossain Chowdhury (Samrat) to be the best organiser.
Power conflicts lead to killing
The Dhaka City South committee was declared on 28 May 2013 and within two months, on 29 July, the committee’s organising secretary Reazul Huq Khan was killed in the city’s Gulshan area. The next day, the committee’s joint secretary SM Zahid Siddiqui alias Killer Tarik was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with RAB. The main accused in Reazul’s murder was Dhaka City North Jubo League organising secretary, notorious criminal Sakhawat Hossain alias Chanchal. He has fled abroad.
Among two Jubo League leaders who had then gained control over the criminal activities, Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan was arrested on 18 September this year. His arrest was followed by the crackdown on casinos and gambling in the capital city on the very same day.
Mominul Huq alias Sayeed was in Singapore at the time and has not returned. Prior becoming Jubo League leaders, both Khaled and Sayeed were with the opposition political party BNP.
Posts lead to prosperity
Enamul Huq alias Arman came to Dhaka from Feni in the nineties. He would trade in electronic goods in the Baitul Mukarram area. During the BNP rule he got involved in the gambling racket of the Motijheel clubs. Then in 2013 he clinched the post of Dhaka South City Jubo League vice president.
After that, under patronage of Samrat, he took over control of the casinos and gambling business in the area. He even became a film producer and would arrange all sorts of ‘parties’ and entertainment for Samrat and his special guests.
Morsalin Ahmed of Kalapara, Patuakhali worked at a bus counter as a ticket seller. He was involved with Freedom Party for a spell. In 2001 he went to the Middle East and returned in 2007. He would live in a mess in Motijheel. In 2013 he became a vice president of Dhaka South City Jubo League.
Arman and Morsalin amassed massive amounts of wealth through extortion and tender manipulations and are said to be preparing to contest in the next parliamentary election.
There are at least a dozen or more such controversial persons who have been accommodated in Jubo League and have taken the fast path to prosperity. Sarwar Hossain alias Mona of Barisal was originally with Jatiya Party. He too is now a vice president Dhaka South City Jubo League. Becoming a member of the Dhaka South City Jubo League working committee had made restaurant worker Zakir Hossain a rich man, and well known as the ‘casino cashier’.
The notorious criminal of Motijheel-Arambagh, Sohrab Hossain alias Swapan, is now a vice president of Dhaka South City Jubo League.
All of them are involved in gambling and casinos as well as in the procuring tenders for contracts with the Public Works Department, Nagar Bhaban and other government offices.
Dhaka South City Jubo League organising secretary Maksudur Rahman had been expelled for super-imposing the prime minister’s picture but still continues to use that position to wield his power over the casino, gambling and tender business.
Criminals have not been restricted to the Dhaka South City Jubo League, but have entered the central committee of the youth wing too. Many say that Jubo League office secretary Kazi Anisur Rahman is instrumental in making leaders. Kazi Anis was an office assistant in Jubo League and then went on to become a leader in the organisation, and has amassed huge wealth. He is known as the ‘collector’ of Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury. Many have gained positions in the organisation through him, in exchange of amounts ranging from Tk 3 million to Tk 10 million.
Emran Hossain Khan would work at a cloth store in Old Dhaka. In exchange of a good sum of money, he became Jubo League central organising secretary. Many others have gained such posts in Jubo League in a similar manner.
Shafiqul Islam alias Shafiq was originally with Jamaat-e-Islami’s student front Islami Chhatra Shibir. From there he joined ruling Awami League’s student front Chhatra League. He was expelled from there on charges of criminal involvement, only to now become the science and technology secretary of Jubo League.
Taslim Uddin and Kaiser Ahmed were involved in BNP politics in Cumilla and Mymensingh respectively. Now Taslim Uddin is the labour affairs secretary of Jubo League central committee. Kaiser is the secretary, liberation war affairs. The deputy publicity and publications secretary Farid Uddin Ahmed alias Ratan is allegedly involved in underhand tender dealings at the power development board.
Speaking on these matters to Prothom Alo on 21 September, Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury said that anyone can bring about any allegations. Jubo League is a platform. Maybe many people use this platform. For example, it is being said that GK Shamim is with Jubo League, but actually he is no one of Jubo League. People may be using Jubo League’s name to make money, he said.
The Jubo League chairman went on to say, “I admit that there are mistakes within our organisation and I welcome measures being taken by the law enforcement with documentary proof. We take organisational action too if we receive such complaints.”
He said action had been taken against 20 persons, though some were later pardoned.
SMS leaders
While the Jubo League constitution has provision for 151 members on Jubo League’s central committee, there is also scope to accommodate another 200 in the central committee and sub-committees. However, Jubo League general secretary Md Harunur Rashid has said that no one has officially been included in the committee outside the 151 members.
Certain leaders have said there are many outside of these 151 who use Jubo League posts to carry out their criminal activities. They have verbally been given positions and are invited through SMS messages over the mobile phone to join the organisation programmes. That is why they are termed as ‘SMS leaders’.
Six conferences in 47 years
It has been 47 years since Jubo League was founded in 1972. It has held only six national conferences so far though its constitution requires national conferences every three years. The last central committee was formed seven years ago. It has been over a decade since some of the district committees were formed.
Speaking to Prothom Alo about giving posts in Jubo League in exchange of payments, Omar Faruk Chowdhury did not deny that there could be monetary transactions. He said that there hadn’t been conferences in many districts for 17 to 18years. Then convenor committees are formed on recommendation of the local and party leaders. It is difficult to say how these recommendations come about.
Crime stepped up from 2012
According to sources in the organisation, during the eighties and nineties, top criminals like KM Hemayetullah Aurangazeb alias Auranga, Liaqat Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahman (Hannan) alias Boro Hannan and Humayun Kabir (Milon) alia Murgi Milon were in Jubo League. They were members of the central committee but were never given big posts. They even were part of the mass uprising against the autocratic rule. It was only in 2012 that the trend began to hand out posts in exchange of money.
Speaking about the present position of Jubo League, organising secretary Harunur Rashid told Prothom Alo, “We can’t deny certain shortcomings. We were not alert and many people took advantage of this.” He said certain people may have slipped up, not the organisation. The present drive is a jolt, but it actually may be beneficial for Jubo League, he added.
*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir