'It will be known soon whether Samrat arrested or not'

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal today said it will be known soon whether Dhaka South Jubo League President Ismail Hossain Samrat has been arrested or not.

“Media published many thinks about Samrat. Our message is that all offenders will be brought under law, irrespective of whoever or Samrat,” the minister told reporters after a programme at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.

When asked whether Samrat has been arrested or not, Kamal said, “You (journalists) will see, you will see soon.”

Rumours run rife about the arrest of the alleged kingpins of “casino” business in the capital since last night. However, law enforcers, the party leaders and even the home minister did not specifically tell anything about whereabouts of Samrat.

Samrat had reportedly been holed up in his Kakrail office since September 18, the day Dhaka South Jubo League Organising Secretary Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan was arrested for his links with running a gambling den at a club in Fakirerpool.

Following Khaled’s arrest, law enforcement agencies also detained a number of leaders of Jubo League, Krishak League and the Awami League in the capital. But Samrat remained untouched. 

On September 22 afternoon, multiple sources, including several Jubo League leaders, told this newspaper that Samrat was staying at his office.

He was also available on his mobile phone till that afternoon.

But at night, Samrat went out of his office, and has been traceless since then, said Jubo League insiders. His mobile phone has been switched off since then.