'Nayan Bonds patronised by police, politicians'
Sabbir Ahmed alias Nayan Bond, main accused of Rifat Sharif murder and killed in an alleged gunfight with police, created a criminal gang ‘Group 007’ under the patronisation of police and politicians.
Nayan’s relatives and local politicians have said this.
Nayan’s mother Shahida Akhter said Nayan did not become ‘Nayan Bond’ in a day. An influential quarter created Nayan Bond to use him, she said.
Shahida, however, did not talk about the influential quarter.
Nayan Bond and his criminal gang ‘Group 007’ came up in the discussions after Rifat was hacked to death in broad daylight in Barguna town on 26 June and the video footage of the murder went viral.
Prime accused Sabbir Ahmed alias Nayan Bond was killed in what police called a gunfight with them in Barguna's Burirchar on 2 July.
But questions haunt Barguna people as to who are behind the rise of Nayan Bond.
According to an investigation of Prothom Alo, Sunam Debnath, Barguna district Awami League unit science and technology affairs secretary, patronised Nayan Bond. Sunam is also the son of Dhirendra Debnath Shombhu, a member of parliament (MP) from Barguna-1 constituency.
Shawon Talukdar and Abhijit Talukdar, two brothers-in-law of Sunam Debnath, were directly involved in different criminal activities committed by Nayan.
Nayan built good relations with local police. He maintained regular contacts with at least six officers of Barguna Sadar police station and Detective Branch (DB) of police.
Before becoming a small criminal, Nayan had a relation with police.
He was also a so-called informant of police. In different criminal activities in the town, he got support from police. Alongside a number of police officers, politicians patronised him. Through this, he and his gang established supremacy in the entire town. None talked against them out of fear.
“A group of youth does not become desperate naturally. It requires backing. There is no scope to spare those who gave them shelter,” Barguna district AL joint general secretary Motaleb Mridha said to Prothom Alo.
Nayan’s mother Shahida Begum said Nayan was a good student at his boyhood. He got scholarships in class V and VIII. After the death of his father, a bank official in 2007, Nayan lost his interest in studies.
Noor Hossain, a close friend of Nayan, said his love affair severed after the death of his father and he started taking cannabis.
Before passing SSC, he was addicted to yaba and heroine in 2011. Then, he got involved in petty crimes including snatching cell phones and ornaments, he added.
On 7 July 2011, a case was filed against Nayan on charges of snatching ornaments from a female student who was going to school.
In 2017, he formed a criminal gang and controlled drug trade in the town. He opened a Facebook ID Nayan Bond. Members of his gang added Bond in their names too.
On condition of anonymity, a councillor of Barguna municipality told Prothom Alo that he handed over Nayan to police when he (Nayan) went to a saw mill for extortion. As Nayan made a phone call, Sunam Debnath appeared on the spot. By the time, police took away Nayan in a pickup van. The councillor came to know later that Sunam helped Nayan get released from police van before it reached police station.
Sunam Debnath was not available over phone for comments.
A number of youths, who are involved in drug trade and criminal activities in Barguna town said Nayan was the informant of three DB officials including assistant sub inspector Khairul Hasan. Verifying the call list of Nayan, his contact with Khairul Hasan has been confirmed.
When asked, Khairul said, “I had no contact with Nayan.”
About Nayan Bond's role as police informant, Barguna superintendent of police Maruf Hossain said, “The informant of police is a secret matter. The police officials are not compelled to disclose who their informant is.”
Nayan’s mother Shahida Akhter said her son had a contact with police.
This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.