Police conducted a raid on the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) building to arrest Wakil Hossain alias Boga, a top-listed criminal and one of the alleged controllers of teen gangs. However, he was not found during the drive.
Law enforcers took position around the city corporation office around 9pm on Tuesday. Authorities said the drive was launched following intelligence reports that Wakil Hossain was inside the building.
Police claimed that although searches were carried out inside the building and in adjacent areas, Wakil Hossain was not found. They also said it could not be confirmed whether he had been present there at the time.
In a video that circulated on social media, CCC Mayor Shahadat Hossain was heard saying, “We did not inform anyone; why have you come? What have you come for?” During the incident, several female journalists were heard alleging harassment by the mayor’s followers.
Khulshi Police Station Officer-in-charge (OC) Abdur Rahim said police conducted a raid following information that Wakil Hossain was there, but they did not find him. “We do not know where he is now,” he said.
Several attempts were made to contact CCC Mayor Shahadat for comment, but he did not answer the calls.
Wakil Hossain faces at least 17 cases on various charges, including extortion, narcotics, assaults on police, and explosives. He is a former joint convener of the city unit of Swechchhasebak Dal. He is known to be a follower of CCC Mayor Shahadat, also former president of the city BNP unit.
In June, allegations were brought against the accused over an incident of open gunfire with rivals regarding the illegal occupation of government land. Following that incident, he was expelled from the Swechchhasebak Dal.
He was named the prime accused in a case filed over the abduction and assault of a teacher of Pahartali College last month.
When police carried out a raid in Khulshi area to arrest him, his followers allegedly assaulted police personnel and blocked roads. A police vehicle was also vandalised during the incident.
His name also surfaced during the investigation into the murder of teenager Hridoy at Khulshi. Around 10:30pm on 27 September, Hridoy was stabbed to death in Taltala area of Wireless Colony under Khulshi Police Station.
Police subsequently conducted a drive and arrested eight teenagers. Following their interrogation and a preliminary investigation, police said the killing occurred as a result of a clash between two rival teen gangs stemming from a dispute between seniors and juniors.
According to police, Hridoy was a member of the “Five Star” gang. Eight individuals were later arrested in connection with the murder, and all of them were members of the gang.
Police alleged that the “Seven Star” gang is run by Wakil Hossain and Rakibul Islam alias Pichchi. The gang is operated under the leadership of local youths Bijoy, Kamran and Shanto, they said.
In a separate development on Tuesday, Khulshi police arrested three individuals during a special operation in connection with another case filed over extortion and vandalism in Khulshi.
The arrestees were identified as Fatema Akhter alias Bali, 45, Bablu alias Babu, 47, and Md Abu Taher alias Kalu, 30. Police said they were arrested during a raid in the Jalalabad Sea Beach area.
Golam Mohammad Nasim, operations officer of Khulshi Police Station, said the three arrestees were associates of teen gang leader Wakil Hossain.
