Who is Subrata Bain, and how did he enter the crime world? 

In the 1990s, Subrata Bain alias Fateh Ali was one of the most notorious figures in the capital’s crime world. He was arrested repeatedly, but managed to secure bail, walk out of jail, and resume criminal activities.

Now, he has been arrested again from Kushtia, along with his associates Mollah Masud, Arafat, and Sharif. 

According to law enforcement sources, he appeared to be involved with three recent murders in Hatirjheel and Gulshan areas of Dhaka, as well as multiple incidents of land grabbing and extortion.

A police source revealed that Arif Sardar (35), a local ward-level Jubo Dal member, was shot dead by associates of Subrata Bain in Hatirjheel on 21 April. Besides, he recently smuggled some arms from India, and his associates are carrying out various criminal activities, including murder, with the arms. 

Subroto Bain was born at the Holy Family Hospital in Dhaka in 1967. His full name is Trimati Subrata Bain. His father, Bipul Bain, worked as a driver for a non-governmental organisation. Subrata, the eldest child of his family, used to reside in a rented house in the capital’s Moghbazar area, with his mother and three sisters.  

He began his education at Oxford Mission School in Barishal and later transferred to Sher-e-Bangla School in Dhaka, where he completed his SSC. He entered the crime world shortly after his admission to Siddheshwari College. 

According to police sources, Subrata came in touch with a local leader when he went to get admitted to the college. At one stage, he took arms and formed own criminal gang at Moghbazar. 

He first came to police attention in 1993 following the murder of a vegetable vendor in Madhubazar. His name later surfaced in an extortion case during the construction of a shopping complex in Moghbazar. In the following years, he became a dominant figure in the underworld.

In 1991, Subrata was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Murad, a leader of the Chhatra League (JaSaD).

Subrata Bain also developed ties with political circles. During the 1991 general election, he worked for the BNP in the Moghbazar area and built close ties with the then home minister. Some top BNP leaders’ presence in his birthday programme earned him the title ‘star terrorist’. He engaged in a conflict with Jubo League leader Liakat over establishing control in the Moghbazar area. 

In 2001, the Interpol issued a red notice against him, which is effective till date. Following the Interpol notice, Subrata fled to Kolkata, where he continued his criminal activities. In 2008, the Kolkata police arrested him, but he later escaped and fled to Nepal. 

He was arrested again in Kolkata in 2012, which was his last reported arrest until the recent raid in Kushtia.