Ferdousy Ahmed Misty, who resigned from parliament following controversy over the attack on Radda MCH-FP Centre in Mirpur-1, has become the focus of renewed scrutiny over her political rise and alleged influence in parts of the capital.
Her elder brother, Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu, was a former BNP lawmaker and former president of Chhatra Dal – student wing of the ruling party. Her husband, Saidur Rahman Newton, was a local political figure and ward commissioner who was killed in 2002.
Following Newton’s death, Misty entered local electoral politics and later built her own network in Mirpur, according to local BNP leaders and police sources.
The latest scrutiny followed the attack, vandalism and looting at the Radda MCH-FP Centre, after which Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directed Misty to resign from parliament. BNP also dissolved its Dhaka North city committee, where she had served as a joint convener.
Misty has denied involvement in the Radda incident.
On the matter, BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh Prince told TIMES, “Through the cancellation of a committee, expulsions, and the resignation of an MP within two days, a strong message is being conveyed both within and beyond the party that no one will get away with wrongdoing.”
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said legal action will be taken if the allegations against Misty are proven through investigation. He said, “If the allegations are substantiated on the basis of the investigation, a charge sheet will be submitted. At the same time, action will also be taken at the party level.”
BNP leaders and activists said her political career began during her student years. She was active in Chhatra Dal and served as general secretary of the students’ union at Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College when her brother Pintu was Chhatra Dal president.
During that period, she developed a relationship with Saidur Rahman Newton and later married him. Newton was commissioner of Ward No 8 of the then undivided Dhaka City Corporation and also served as a vice-president of the Chhatra Dal central committee.
He was shot dead on 10 May 2002 in front of Orchid Plaza in Dhanmondi 27. Contemporary media reports, citing law enforcement officials, linked the killing to disputes involving local market control and rival criminal groups.
After Newton’s death, Misty won a by-election to become ward commissioner. She later contested the councillor post several times but did not win again.
Police and several Mirpur BNP leaders said after Newton’s death, Misty began overseeing his contracting and other business interests. Some of Newton’s associates later became aligned with her.
Her company also secured construction work at Government Bangla College, according to local political sources. Several local Jubo Dal leaders said Misty developed influence over sections of the BNP’s affiliated organisations in Shah Ali, Darus Salam and Mirpur.
They named a number of local leaders, including Mostafa Jalalul Pasha Papel, Abul Kalam Azad Lenin, Jinnah, Pias, Hafizur Rahman Shuvro, Shaheen and Parvez, as people associated with her political network.
Some of those local leaders alleged that members of this network were involved, directly or indirectly, in the Radda incident. Those claims have not been independently verified.
Questions have also been raised over Misty’s past links with Samomona Dokandar Samabaya Samity Limited, whose signboard was put up at the Radda premises after the attack.
Misty told TIMES that in 2004 she had applied to the then housing and public works minister for land to be allocated in the cooperative’s name. She reportedly served as its president until 2006.
Hanif Mia, who has been named in discussions surrounding the alleged attempt to take control of the Radda property, is Misty’s brother-in-law.
Several Shah Ali thana Chhatra Dal leaders alleged that Hanif, Shah Alam and others held meetings with Papel over taking control of 10 kathas of land they valued at around Tk100 crore.
They further alleged that a Tk10 crore arrangement was discussed to “manage everything” before the attack on 24 September and that Misty was aware of the plan. These allegations have not been independently verified.
Between 2009 and 5 August 2024, during Awami League rule, local BNP leaders said Misty kept a relatively low political profile in Mirpur, although she maintained contact with senior party figures.
Following the political change of 5 August, she became president of the Muktobangla Market Cooperative Society in Mirpur-1, despite not being a regular trader there, according to local businesspeople.
A recent controversy also involved allegations that Papel, described by local sources as close to Misty, demanded Tk15 lakh from Muktobangla Market businessman Shaheen Khan. A recording of the alleged conversation circulated publicly.
Shaheen did not file a police complaint, reportedly because of fear.
Local political and business sources also allege that people close to Misty exert influence over several markets in Mirpur.
They claim that associates linked to her network are involved in businesses including service charges, waste management, cable television, internet connections, garment-waste trading and the control of footpaths between Mirpur-1 and Mirpur-10.
Similar allegations have been made regarding bus counters at Gabtoli, the sand terminal, the Kaundia ferry ghat and vehicle parking in front of Mirpur Zoo and the Botanical Garden.
None of those broader allegations has yet been established through a court process.
On the Radda incident, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Mirpur Division Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabdar told TIMES, “Several individuals have been detained in connection with the Radda incident, and efforts are continuing to detain many more.
“Several intelligence agencies, along with the police’s own sources, are working on those involved or connected. Whoever is named during the investigation, at whatever level, will be brought to justice. No one will be spared – there are specific directives from headquarters to this effect.”
The Radda debacle has nevertheless brought Misty’s political career, business links and local network under unprecedented scrutiny – and has raised fresh questions over how political influence is exercised in one of Dhaka’s most densely populated areas.
