A video has surfaced showing Nizam Uddin, Joint Coordinator of the Chattogram city unit of the National Citizen Party (NCP), allegedly demanding a bribe of Tk 500,000 to suppress a movement centring on the Chattogram port.
On Sunday evening, a video of his conversation with another individual began circulating on Facebook. In it, he is heard asking for money in exchange for halting the movement.
Earlier, on 5 July, a woman lodged a complaint with the police commissioner accusing Nizam Uddin of extortion. In her letter, she claimed that after failing to extort Tk 20 million, Nizam had her husband falsely implicated in a police case.
At the time, Nizam was the Member Secretary of the Chattogram city unit of the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement. Following the allegation, his post was suspended but later reinstated.
The one-and-a-half-minute Facebook video shows a Messenger call between a man named Aftab Hossain Rifat and Nizam Uddin, recorded on another phone.
At the start of the conversation, Aftab asks, “If Mir bhai and the others don’t stop the movement, what will we do?” Nizam replies, “I’ll stop the movement. Have they given you money?” to which Aftab responds, “Yes.”
When asked how much was given, Aftab replies, “Five.” Nizam is then heard saying, “Push them to give more… see if you can get another 500,000 from him. If you can, I’ll bring them in, give some to Rohan, Mir, and the others.”
According to party leaders and activists, this Aftab Hossain is the coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement’s Chattogram port-based activities.
The video was uploaded on Facebook by Rahadul Islam, former Joint Member Secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement’s Chattogram city unit.
He wrote, “While trying to suppress the movement against Saif Powertec, Nizam Uddin embezzled Tk 500,000. This is not just corruption — it is a direct betrayal of the trust of students and the public.”
Speaking to Prothom Alo in the evening, Rahadul Islam said, “Someone gave me the video. Nizam has faced extortion allegations before. Now there’s a fresh allegation of taking money from Saif Powertec to suppress the port-based movement.”
Regarding the matter, NCP Chattogram city Joint Coordinator Nizam Uddin told Prothom Alo, “These are old videos. They are being circulated to politically corner me. These are planned videos. The person who made it (Aftab) will go live and explain in detail.”
When contacted, NCP Chattogram city Chief Coordinator Mir Arshadul Haque told Prothom Alo, “When allegations surfaced before, we consulted the Anti-Discrimination Students’ Movement while forming the NCP committee. Their positive feedback led us to keep him in the committee. Now that there are fresh allegations, we will seek his explanation in accordance with party rules.”
It should be noted that on 23 April, under the leadership of NCP’s northern region organiser Rasel Ahmed, a group called Bandar Rokkha Andolon (Port Protection Movement) held a rally and procession at the Customs intersection in the city, protesting the New Mooring Container Terminal issue.