Khaled formed armed gangs to run casinos

Expelled Jubo League leader Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan made crores of Taka running “casinos” at sporting clubs and through illegal drug trade, extortion and tender manipulation, Rab told a Dhaka court yesterday. 

Khaled, now under arrest, even has an armed group and a huge stash of illegal firearms to carry out the unlawful activities, which are threat to public security, Rab Assistant Superintendent of Police Belayet Hossain said in a forwarding letter to the court. 

In the letter, Rab also sought 20-day fresh remand for Khaled in two cases, which were filed under the Arms Act and Narcotics Control Act on completion of his seven-day police remand yesterday. 

Hearing arguments from both prosecution and defence, the court placed Khaled on 10-day remand -- five day in each case. 

Mohammedan Sporting Club Director in-charge Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan. Photo: Collected/file

On September 18, Rapid Action Battalion arrested Khaled, organising secretary of Jubo League’s Dhaka South unit, at his home in the capital’s Gulshan on charges of running a “casino” at a football club in Fakirapool. 

Rab also seized three firearms, bullets, yaba pills and foreign currencies worth Tk 7. 64 lakh and 10.34 lakh in cash in his possession. One of the firearms had no licence while the licences of two others were expired. 

On September 19, Khaled was placed on four-day remand in the Arms case and three-day remand in the narcotics case. 

In the forwarding letter yesterday, ASP Belayet, who is the investigation officer of the case filed under the Arms Act, said Rab investigation found Khaled to be an infamous underworld criminal.  

“He bagged a huge amount of money through running casinos and drug business at Youngmen’s Club, Wanderers Club, Arambagh Club and many other clubs in Fakirapool area of the city. The accused used to control gambling, drug trade and engaged in different anti-social activities there.” 

The letter said using his gang members, Khaled kept Motijheel, Shajahanpur, Rampura, Sabujbagh, Meradia, Kamalapur and Khilgaon areas under his “control”. He also collected extortion money from markets and public transport, it said.

Khaled also engaged in tender manipulation under the name of “Bhuiyan and Bhuiyan Company” at different public offices, including that of Rajuk, Dhaka South City Corporation, Rail Bhaban, Jatiya Krira Parishad and Water Development Board, it said.

Jubo League, the youth wing of the ruling Awami League, expelled Khaled on September 20 for breaching the organisation’s discipline and his involvement in anti-social activities. 

LOKMAN ON REMAND

Police investigating a case against Mohammedan Sporting Club Director In-charge M Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan yesterday claimed that he is a member of an organised gang of narcotics traders. 

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Kamrul Islam of Tejgaon police station, the investigation officer of the case, placed a forwarding letter to a Dhaka court seeking five-day remand for Lokman.

The IO told the court Lokman needed to be interrogated to trace the other members of his drugs syndicate and know more about his alleged involvement in “casino” business at Mohammedan Sporting Club.

The court granted two-day remand for Lokman. 

Defence lawyer claimed his client was innocent. 

Meanwhile, Rab officials claimed during his interrogation, Lokman, a former security staffer of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, admitted owning seven to eight houses at different places of the city. 

Lokman also owns 52 decimal land near Bheribandh in the city’s Mirpur, Rab-2 Commanding Officer Lt Col Ashique Billah told The Daily Star yesterday. 

Besides, he has fixed deposit receipts (FDR) worth Tk 1 crore, said Rab sources.  

On Thursday, Rab said that during primary interrogation, Lokman admitted amassing huge sums of money and depositing around Tk 41 crore into two banks in Australia. 

Lokman, also a director of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), was arrested by the elite force on Wednesday night allegedly with four bottles of liquor. 

‘NONE TO BE SPARED’

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said none of those who got shares of casino money would be spared, UNB reports.  

At a programme in Sylhet, he said, “Investigation is going on to catch not only the small fry, but also the big fish involved in misdeeds. Those who got the share of the casino money, no matter whether they belong to Awami League or any other party, or the police administration, won’t be spared,” he told reporters.

Asked whether any action would be taken against Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Samrat for his alleged involved in such activities, he said, “It’s not just Samrat. Many names are surfacing …the investigation has already begun. We’ll take steps against all based on the probe findings.”