Police have arrested three individuals, affiliated with local BNP and its student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), for their alleged involvement in smuggling fertiliser to Myanmar through Mirsarai, Chattogram.
The arrests were made during separate drives conducted in Osmanpur Union area. Zorarganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Abdul Halim confirmed the arrests on Monday afternoon.
The arrested individuals have been identified as Mohsin Samrat, 57, former joint convener of Osmanpur Union BNP; his son Azahar Uddin Mahin, 22; and Farabi Hossain alias Fabiyatul Farabi, 26, former convener of Osmanpur Union Chhatra Dal.
According to local sources, a syndicate has recently been smuggling fertiliser to Myanmar through the Mirsarai Special Economic Zone.
On 31 October, police seized 301 bags of fertiliser awaiting smuggling to Myanmar and detained several individuals involved at the time.
During the investigation into the seizure of 310 bags of fertiliser, police uncovered the involvement of several local BNP and associate organisation leaders and activists based on information and mobile phone call records from the detainees.
Based on this evidence, Zorarganj police conducted a raid at Economic Zone office of Shawkat Akbar Sohag, joint convener of Chattogram North District Jubo Dal.
OC Halim said Mahe Alam and his brother Nur Uddin from Subarnachar area in Noakhali had informed the detainees about the fertiliser consignment and requested local assistance.
Subsequently, in the Mirsarai Economic Zone area, Jubo Dal leader Shawkat Akbar Sohag enticed them with an offer to smuggle the truckload of fertiliser bags to Myanmar via the Muhuri Project embankment area.
Following this offer, Sohag, along with Farabi and other co-accused, attempted to smuggle the fertiliser to Myanmar, but the attempt was foiled due to police vigilance.
Police subsequently arrested Mohsin, Azhar, and Farabi during a drive conducted in the early hours of Sunday.
The OC added that one individual named Badshah was detained for questioning from Sohag’s office in Economic Zone during the investigation, but no involvement was found on his part.
All three arrested individuals have been forwarded to court.
