The 80-year-old mother of former Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat today demanded immediate release of her son terming him “innocent”.

“My son is innocent. He is very sick. Please have mercy and release him and arrange better treatment for him,’’ Sayera Khatun said at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporter’s unity this afternoon.

On October 6, Rab arrested Samrat, former president of Dhaka South Jubo League also an alleged kingpin of the illegal casino business in the capital.

“Samrat underwent an open-heart surgery in 1999. He has been working for the party even though he has been ill since then,’’ Samrat’s sister Farhana Chowdhury read out a written statement on behalf of his mother.

“He is not an infiltrator into the party,” she further added.

Samrat’s mother also addressed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her written statement. To the PM she said “Samrat is your worker. He is like your son. As a mother, I am requesting you to forgive his faults and mistakes and release him. Arrange better treatment for him and save him.”

“He is the ideal soldier of the father of the nation. He has worked for Awami League for a long time,” she further said and gave detailed accounts of Samrat’s involvement with the party.

The family also mentioned that Samrat was arrested and brought to his Kakrail office where law enforcers searched his office for four hours and 17 minutes and no media was allowed into the office during that time.

“During live telecast (from outside) it could be seen that some law enforcers entered with bags on their back. Those could not be seen when they were heading out.”

Samrat was not part of any club where casinos were established, she added.

Samrat’s sister Farhana Chowdhury and brother Rasel Ahmed Chowdhury were also present at the press conference.