Firearm licences of Nizam Hazari's aides

Nizam Uddin Hazari arranged for pistol and rifle licences in his name after being elected member of parliament unopposed in 2014. He obtained the rifle license in 2016 and the pistol licence in 2018. He got a rifle licence in his wife’s name in 2020. His wife Nurjahan Begum is a housewife.

Other than Nizam Hazari, five other leaders of Feni's Awami League and Jubo League got licences for two firearms (pistols and shotguns). They are  Fulgazi upazila Awami League president Abdul Alim, Parshuram upazila Awami League general secretary Nizam Uddin Ahmed alias Sajel, Sadar upazila Awami League general secretary Shusen Chandra Shil, Feni pourashava Awami League general secretary Nazrul Islam alias Swapan Miyaji and district Jubo League organising secretary Lutfar Rahman alias Khokon Hazari.

In total, at least 30 leaders of Awami League and Jubo League including Nizam Hazari and his wife got firearm licences during the Awami League period. They were given licences totally out of political consideration. These firearms were used to quell student-mass uprising in July and August. A video recently went viral that shows Awami League leaders and activists shooting at demonstrators in Feni’s Mohipal area. The incident took place on 4 August, a day before the fall of Awami League government. A total of nine people including four students were shot dead in Mohipal on that day.

The video shows that three youths, two wearing helmets, shooting at the students. The firearms they used are akin to AK-47 rifles.

One of the three seen in the video is Ziauddin Bablu, former vice president of Feni district Chhatra League, and another Abdur Rouf, general secretary of Kazirbag union unit of Feni Sadar. Police confirmed their identities.

After analysing the video footage, law enforcement officials say that at least 33 people had different types of firearms in the Mohipal area that day. They have been identified. All of them are followers of Feni district Awami League general secretary Nizam Hazari.

Some of the weapons used that day in the Mohipal area looked like AK-47s. However, a source from the specialised unit of the police told Prothom Alo that although the weapons look like AK-47s, they are modern shotguns made in Turkey.

Aides of Nizam Hazari used to brandish and use firearms while engaging with various crimes. In July, 2021, Awami League leader Abul Kalam, a close associate of Nizam Hazari, shot a businessman to death in Feni’s Sahebbari area. Abul Kalam, a former councilor of Feni pourashava, went to loot truck loads of cattle from the trader. Kalam was once involved with the politics of Jubo Dal. Later he joined Awami League through Nizam Hazari and became general secretary of a ward unit of the party.

Several sources of police suspect that apart from licenced weapons, Nizam Hazari’s aides have many illegal weapons. During the Awami League era, adherents of Nizam Hazari were seen staging a showdown in Feni town on several occasions. Law enforcers would overlook most of these incidents at that time. However, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on 6 June in 2015 detained 26 associates of Nizam Hazari with firearms. But all of them were freed on bail.

Feni district’s police superintendent Habibur Rahman told Prothom Alo that detailed information about those who carried firearms were being collected. Some cases have already been filed over the killing of demonstrators during July and August. The work to identify those who fired bullets at the demonstrators is under process.

According to multiple sources of Feni Awami League, Shusen Chandra Shill, a close associate of Nizam Hazari, was one of the controllers of tender at various government offices in the district. He is the general secretary of Feni Sadar upazila Awami League and former chairman of Sadar upazila. Ziauddin Bablu, the former vice-president of Feni district Chhatra League, would work with him as an armed 'cadre'. Apart from this, Bablu used to control land grabbing and extortion by intimidating people of different areas on behalf of Nizam Hazari and Shusen. He used to carry firearms openly.

Several sources of the law enforcers said Bablu directly targetted students and general people at Mohipal area on 4 August. Shusen Chandra Shill, Nazrul Islam alias Swapan Miyaji (general secretary of Feni pourashava Awami League and former pourashava mayor) and Harun Majumdar (general secretary of Fulgazi upazila Awami League and former upazila chairman) were present at the scene.

Apart from them, former chairman of Chanua union of Feni Sadar upazila Karim Ullah alias Rensu Karim, vice president of district Jubo League and former chairman of Sharshadi union Jane Alam Bhuiyan and organising secretary of district Jubo League Lutfar Rahman alias Khokon Hazari were also present in Mohipal area that day. These three were also seen shooting that day. Multiple law enforcement sources confirmed that they were seen in the 4 August video footage.

Besides, former chairman of Kazirbagh union Bulbul Ahmed had a sharp weapon in his hand. Former chairman of Panchgachia union of Feni Sadar Mahbubul Haque alias Liton, former chairman of Pathan Nagar union of Chhagalnaiya upazila Rafiqul Haider Chowdhury alias Jewel and former chairman of Chhagalnaiya upazila Mazbaul Haider Chowdhury alias Sohel were also present at the spot.

Analysing information from Feni district administration, a total of 103 firearms licences were given at an individual level between 6 January in 2009 and 5 August in 2024. Of the persons obtained these licenses, 30 were involved with Awami League and its associate organisations.

Among those directly involved with the attack on the students, former chairman of Chanua union Karim Ullah alias Rensu Karim and former chairman of Sharshdi union Jane Alam Bhuiyan have licensed shotguns. Fulgazi upazila Awami League general secretary and former upazila chairman Harun Majumdar has a shotgun license. The law enforcers confirmed that they had illegally used their weapons to suppress the movement of the students.

According to the Firearms Licence, Renewal and Use Policy 2016, a person can carry and use firearms obtained against his license only for self-defence. Weapons may not be displayed in situations that may cause fear or annoyance to others.

Sources from law enforcement agencies said when Awami League came to power in 1996, the followers of then lawmaker Joynal Hazari even at union levels also obtained firearms licenses. They would use these firearms for various criminal activities.

The leaders and activists of Awami League of Feni who got one firearm licence each are: former chairmen of Chhagalnaiya upazila Mejbaul Haider Chowdhury and Mizanur Rahman, former chairman of Pathan Nagar union of the same upazila Rafiqul Haider Chowdhury, former chairman of Mahamaya union Gorib Shah Hossain, Fazilpur union Awami League president Mojibul Haque.

The list of people who obtained one weapon licence each includes Didarul Kabir, president of Feni district Jubo League and former chairman of Dagonbhuiyan upazila, Mohammad Eshaq, former chairman of Matubhuiyan union of the same upazila, general secretary of Dagonbhuiyan pourashava Awami League and former pourashava mayor Omar Farooq Khan, organising secretary of district Awami League and former chairman of Jaylaskar union Mamunur Rashid Milon, organising secretary of Dagonbhuiyan upazila Awami League and chairman of Rajapur Union Zainal Abedin Mamun, former mayor of Chhagalnaiya pourashava Mohammad Mostafa, and former mayor of Sonagazi pourashava Rafiqul Islam alias Khokon.

Also Rahimullah, former MP of Feni-3, had a shotgun licence, district Awami League acting general secretary Zahir Uddin Mahmud had a pistol licence, district Awami League member Sheikh Abdul Abdullah a pistol licence, district Jubo League vice president Rashedul Huq a shotgun licence, district Jubo League joint secretary Chowdhury Ahmed Riad Aziz a shotgun licence, and Chhagalnaiya upazila Awami League cultural secretary Ahmad Mahi alias Rasel also had a gun licence. They got gun licences in 2009 on political consideration after Awami League came to power.

In a circular issued by the home ministry on 25 August, it was said that the arms licences issued during the 15 years of Awami League government have all be suspended. The government had ordered that these be deposited by 3 September.

Speaking to Prothom Alo on Monday, the Feni additional deputy commissioner Shafiqur Ridwan Arman said so far six licences of licences firearms have not been deposited. He was unwilling to reveal the names of those who have not desposited the licences.