Scammers’ party links embarrass Awami League leaders

The ruling Awami League is left embarrassed over the recent arrests of suspected frauds involved in sensational scams as many of them used political clout in the ruling quarters while some were associated with it.

They said actions would be taken against the party insiders who were responsible for extending support to people like Regent Hospital chairman Shahed Karim, already facing over 50 cases relating to fraudulence, or contractor GK Shamim or cardiac surgeon Sabrina Arif Chowdhury of JKG Health Care or Juba Mahila League leader Shamima Noor Papia over the possession of fake currency and for running illicit trades.

The issue of tarnishing the image of the party resurfaced after the recent arrests of Regent Hospital owner Shahed, and JKG Health Care chairperson Sabrina Arif Chowdhury for their alleged involvement in providing fake COVID-19 test reports to suspected patients.

Of them, Shahed was a member of a sub-committee of the ruling Awami League’s international affairs committee, while National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases cardiac surgeon Sabrina had close ties with pro-AL physicians’ organisation Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad.

About the matter, AL presidium member Abdur Rahman told New Age that the party was preparing to launch an internal probe to detect people involved in ‘criminal activities’ like Shahed or Shamim.

‘We [AL] need to know who open the door for the criminals to join the party,’ he said, adding that the AL would never tolerate ‘opportunists’.

He said a large number of leaders were earlier dropped from their party positions for their links to different unsocial activities and corruption, including tender manipulation and unauthorised operation of casinos.

A series of photos and selfies of Shahed with a good number of ministers, bureaucrats and influential ruling party figures went viral after the Rapid Action Battalion on July 6 raided his Regent Hospital in the capital over forged COVID-19 certificates.

But, the AL denied Shahed’s link with the party saying that Shahed is a fraud and he has no link with AL.

Several AL leaders said that they were feeling embarrassed for such misuse of political identities by the people involved in sensational scams and different fraudulent activities.

They said party leaders should look into the background of the people who suddenly try to develop relations with them to make quick bucks using their political connections with the ruling quarters.

In a recent video message, AL general secretary Obaidul Quader said that exemplary punishment was necessary for the people involved in issuing fake COVID-19 test results. Obaidul also added that surveillance needed to be increased to prevent crimes like these. 

About Shahed’s link with the sub-committee, AL international affairs secretary Shammi Ahmed told New Age that Shahed had no link with the committee.

On condition of anonymity, several AL leaders however told New Age that Shahed was a member of the preview committee of the international affairs while the new committee was yet to be formed after the latest council session of the party had been held on December 21, 2019.

On July 15, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said that Regent Group chairman Shahed tarnished the image of the country by issuing fake COVID-19 test reports.

‘None, irrespective of their political affiliations, will be spared for such scams,’ the minister warned.

Earlier, the party also denied its link with controversial contractor SM Golam Kibria Shamim, owner of Public Works Department listed construction firm GK Builders, after he was arrested along with a huge amount of cash and Fixed Deposit Receipts and seven bodyguards at his office in Dhaka’s Niketan in September 2019.

Shamim was a cooperative affairs secretary of Awami Juba League’s central committee of its preview committee.

During the drive against illegal moneymakers in 2019, a good number of corruption suspects, including expelled Juba League Dhaka South City unit president Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, were arrested by the law enforcers.

On February 25, Obaidul Quader, addressing a press conference, said that Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Noor Papia was arrested on orders from prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Papia, now in jail, hogged the headlines after her arrest when stories about her alleged crimes such as trading in drugs and arms, helping others grab land, and running illegal sex trade at a luxury hotel in Dhaka came to the surface.

Following her arrest, AL associate body Jubo Mohila League expelled Papia, who was Narsingdi district unit general secretary, from the party.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net