City councillor Mizan held, cash, cheque recovered

Dhaka North City Corporation councillor and former general secretary of Mohammadpur thana Awami League, Habibur Rahman Mizan, was arrested from Sreemangal upazila of Moulvibazar on Friday.

The Rapid Action Battalion arrested Dhaka North City Corporation Ward No 32 councillor as part of the ongoing drive against the casinos.

The battalion headquarters deputy director Mizanur Rahman said that acting on a tip-off, a team of the Rapid Action Battalion 9 conducted a drive in the area and arrested Habibur Rahman Mizan while he was allegedly trying to flee the country.

As the news of his arrest spread in the Mohammadpur area, people brought out a procession and demanded highest punishment for Mizan.

They alleged that Mizan was engaged in corruption, land-grabbing, toll-collecting from footpath, markets, illegally taking over cable and internet businesses alongside patronising gambling and involving in torture.

Media report said that Mizan was a leader of the Freedom Party before he started his career in the Awami League and he was also an accused in a case for attempting to kill prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Hours after his arrest, the Rapid Action Battalion brought him to Dhaka and conducted a drive at his residence on Aorangazeb Road in Mohammadpur at around 4:00pm.

Rapid Action Battalion executive magistrate Sarwoer Alam said reporters that check of Tk 6 crore 77 lakh, FDR of Tk 1 crore and cash Tk 2 lakh were recovered from his house.

On September 18, law-enforcement agencies started a drives against illegal casinos and bars when they arrested Young Men’s Club president Khalid Mahmud Bhuiyan, also organising secretary of Juba League’s Dhaka south unit.

The Rapid Action Battalion and the police had raided over 20 sporting and recreation clubs in the capital including Fakererpool Young Men’s Club and Wanderers Club, Kalabagan Krira Chakra, Dhanmondi Club, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Arambagh Krira Sangha, Dilkusha Sporting Club, and Victoria Sporting Club and arrested over 150 leaders and activists of the ruling party and its front organisations.

On October, 6, the Rapid Action Battalion arrested Jubo League’s Dhaka south city unit president Ismail Chowdhury Samrat along with his associate Armanul Haque Arman from Chuddagram of Cumilla.

As the drive began, almost all suspected club operators, who are also leaders of the ruling Awami League and its associate and front organisations, went into hiding.

The battalion officials said that some leaders were also trying to flee the country to avert arrest as did Mizan.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net