Cumilla polls nomination: AL picks No. 1 patron of narcos
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government have declared zero tolerance against narcotics. But the ruling Awami League has picked a top listed patron of the illegal drug business as its mayoral candidate for the Cumilla city polls.
Arfanul Haque Rifat is listed number one among 16 patrons of drug dealers and smugglers in the district.
The Prime Minister's Office with the assistance of a government intelligence agency listed drug traders, smugglers, their patrons and law enforcers involved with them across the country.
On January 9, 2018, the PMO sent the home ministry a letter along with the list of Chattogram division and requested actions against the persons following scrutiny.
The list, a copy of which has been obtained by this newspaper, mentions Rifat as the general secretary of Cumilla city AL, hailing from Monohorpur area.
The party's Local Government Nomination Board finalised his nomination through a meeting at the Gono Bhaban on Friday, with AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Party sources say Rifat is also a former senior vice-president of Cumilla district Jubo League and currently member of Jubo League central committee. He is very close to AL lawmaker from Cumilla-6 AKM Bahauddin Bahar, they add.
A special extended meeting of Cumilla city AL, with Bahar in the chair, sent a proposal to the AL central committee to nominate Rifat as the party's mayoral candidate for the polls, slated for June 15.
Sources close to Rifat and AL insiders alleged that he maintains contacts with local drug dealers and criminals as he gets commission from illegal drug business.
The Daily Star, however, couldn't verify those allegations independently.
On October 26, 2019, a media outlet in Cumilla reported that a local leader of AL, Jahid Iqbal Shariful, who was arrested by Rab with pistol, locally made arms and 78 bullets, had close relations with Rifat.
Rifat, however, claims the allegations against him are nothing but a "dirty conspiracy".
Contacted, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif, who is also a member of Awami League's Local Government Nomination Board, said, "We know him as a "dedicated and tested" leader.
"He joined Awami League politics from Chhatra League. He was a dedicated Awami League leader when the party was in crisis."
Hanif added, "The BNP government had filed many false cases against him. I don't know whether those cases were considered while preparing that list."
When told that it was the PMO that prepared the list, Hanif said he didn't have any idea in this regard.
Faruk Ahmed, superintendent of police in Cumilla, too said he was not aware of any such list.
Lawmaker Bahauddin Bahar could not be reached for comments as he didn't receive phone calls.
Mokabbir Hossain, secretary of Security Services Division at Ministry of Home Affairs, said he wouldn't be able to make comment on this issue right now and without going through the PMO letter.
Masud Parvez Imran, who was among the 14 nomination seekers to contest the polls, said there might be some mistakes while finalising the nomination. "I Hope the prime minister will take the right decision once she comes to know about it."
Cumilla district has 106km boundaries with the India from where illegal drugs are smuggled into Bangladesh, according to law enforcement agencies.