Since an alleged audio recording of Kushtia-3 (Sadar) MP Amir Hamza went viral on Facebook, he has not been seen in his constituency. He is not answering journalists’ calls, and no one at his home is giving any information about his whereabouts.
According to locals, the Jamaat leader has not been seen in public since the closing rally of the 11-party alliance’s long march at Kushtia Shaheed Abrar Fahad Stadium on 31 October.
On 5 November, in a Facebook post, the Prime Minister’s Political Assistant, Md Rashed Khan, claimed that he had received some videos and audio involving women and Amir Hamza. He said he had fact-checked them and found the information to be true.
He then added a link to an audio recording in the comment box, writing, “Let’s see what action Jamaat takes against Amir Hamza now…”
Melon Ullah, a journalist in Kushtia, told TIMES, “Since then, I have tried Amir Hamza’s phone several times and found it switched off. Then I went to his house. They said he was not at home. I spoke to a district Jamaat leader. He said the MP is not answering their calls either.”
TIMES also found Hamza’s mobile phone switched off, and his WhatsApp number was also off.
When contacted, his personal assistant, Md Momin Biswas, said, “The MP is currently in Dhaka. There is a parliament session tomorrow.”
His PS also claimed that although journalists cannot reach the Jamaat leader, he has been attending waz mahfils in various parts of the country. He said, “On Saturday, he was in Mymensingh, the day before in Sirajganj, and before that he attended mahfils in various districts, including Dinajpur and Bogura.”
However, Rashed Khan’s post came after these waz mahfils.
Mainul Islam, a resident of the Kushtia Sadar constituency, told TIMES, “Compared with MPs of other constituencies, we do not get our MP easily. As ordinary people, it is difficult to contact him or even meet him directly. As a result, we cannot raise many of our important needs and problems with the MP.”
Since being elected, Amir Hamza has faced criticism over one statement and activity after another. Once he claimed to be the prime minister of Kushtia Sadar, and another time he claimed to have been offered a bribe over Kushtia Medical College.
In parliament, Hamza demanded that the Kushtia sugar mill be shut down and an economic zone be built on its land. On the other hand, he made strong speeches at a rally in the area demanding that the sugar mill be reopened.
Allegations have also been raised over the asset statements in his election affidavit. Sirajul Islam of West Abdalpur in Kushtia Sadar upazila has petitioned the chief election commissioner, alleging discrepancies in the asset statements in his affidavit and income tax return, and seeking an investigation and legal action.
There are also allegations that the MP does not answer phone calls from anyone other than party workers.
Asked about the whole matter, Enamul Haque, secretary of Jamaat’s Kushtia district unit, claimed that a conspiracy against Amir Hamza began after his nomination was announced. For this reason, he faces more criticism than other leaders.
On the allegation raised by Rashed Khan, he said, “It is possible to distort statements or create and spread various kinds of content by misusing information technology.”
