Illegal arms trade in southwest: Barrelling on political clout
Some Awami League leaders and activists in Jashore have long been running an illegal arms business in the country's south-western districts, exploiting their political links to make big money and to avoid arrest, police and local politicians said.
Members of the illicit arms trade include local elected representatives and top leaders in the ruling party's city, district and upazila units.
Over the last few years, they bought firearms smuggled from India by the now-arrested Chhatra League leader Akul Hossain and sold them to political leaders of different districts, including Jashore and Khulna. Their buyers also include muggers and criminals, according to the detective branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Detectives claimed to have learned this while interrogating Akul, general secretary of BCL Sharsha upazila unit in Jashore, and four others. They were arrested in the capital on September 2 while "delivering a haul of arms".
Police said they recovered eight foreign pistols, eight bullets and 16 magazines from their possession during the arrest.
Since 2014, Akul has smuggled in more than 200 firearms from India with the help of his cousin living there, and supplied those to local politicians of different tiers as well as criminals, DB officials said.
"We got some information and a list of people who bought arms from Akul. We are now verifying the information," Mashiur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Gulshan division DB police, told The Daily Star.
So far, detectives came to know about nine AL leaders from Jeshore and Benapole who bought firearms from Akul.
Detectives said AL activist Fontu Chaklader is among the top buyers, although he sounded nonchalant when asked about the arms trade.
"I am not going to talk to you about it. If I have committed any crime, ask the law enforcers to take action," said Fontu, also a cousin of Jeshore-6 AL lawmaker Shaheen Chaklader.
Shaheen sought to distance himself from Fontu, saying he had not even seen the man in a decade.
Another name that came up as a top buyer is Alamgir Kabir Sumon, councillor of ward-6 of Jashore municipality, DB sources said.
Contacted, Sumon said he knew Akul as a BCL leader, but was unaware of his criminal activities.
Mashiur, the DC of Gulshan division DB police, said Akul used to bring arms through one of his cousins in West Bengal.
"Some hundi traders were also involved," he added.
Investigators said Akul used to place orders through an online app, and the smugglers from the Indian side would send the consignments to Bangladesh on credit.
He has several dozen associates on both sides of the border, they said, adding that Akul was also involved in narcotics, gold, clothes and spice smuggling through the Benapole border.
Seeking anonymity, a top police official acknowledged that Akul was not arrested although he established a "mini crime world" in the bordering districts.
POWERFUL SHELTER
Akul was suspended from BCL soon after his arrest.
He became Sharsha upazila BCL general secretary in 2012, with backing from Benapole Municipality Mayor Ashraful Alam Liton, police and local politicians said.
"Akul got the post because of Mayor Liton. Former district Chhatra League general secretary Anwar Hossain Bipul also has a hand in this," said Abdur Rahim Sarder, president of Sharsha upazila BCL.
He added that he used to avoid Akul because of his criminal activities.
"It is because of Mayor Liton that Akul evaded arrest," he told The Daily Star.
In June 2019, police recovered 12 magazines, three bullets, one bomb, six locally-made weapons and Phensedyl bottles from Akul's house in Benapole. He went into hiding after two cases were filed under the arms and explosives act against him, said police and local sources.
But police submitted a charge sheet in the case dropping Akul's name because of Liton's intervention, said Rahim, the president of Sharsha upazila Chhatra League.
The Benapole police could not immediately give the current job location or contact details of the investigating officer or the then officer-in-charge under whom the charge sheet was prepared and submitted.
Liton, also joint secretary of Jashore AL, denied having any close links with Akul.
"I am neither aware of his criminal activities nor provided any support or shelter to him. I am a politician and many people come to me. It is very difficult to control everyone's movement."
Anwar Hossain Bipul said he was not aware of Akul's criminal activities.
"We used to be in politics together. But we parted ways around one and a half years ago," he said, adding Akul had good relations with Shaheen Chaklader, his lawmaker cousin.
Shaheen denied this, saying, "Akul may have some links with my supporters as he is involved in politics. But I have no relationship with him. I have not even seen him in the last 10 years."
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