Afm Anwar Hossain Khan joined as the Superintendent of Police of Sunamganj on September 8 last year after the historic July uprising of the students and the public. However, less than 5 months after joining, a mountain of allegations has been filed against this officer of the 24th BCS (Police).
He has involved himself in all sorts of crimes including smuggling, illegal sand trading, water encroachment, passport verification, police transfer 'trade' and bribery. From the beginning, he had no interest in suppressing crime. Rather, this police officer has been seen as more active in continuing the criminal empire built during the Awami League government.
Among them, the most illegal income sectors are border smuggling and the much-discussed Jadukata and illegal sand mining of the Dhopajan River. Besides, in the 5 and a half months of joining, he has earned a huge amount of money just by 'transfer trade'. From these various sectors of misdeeds, a lot of money is entering the SP's pocket every month. He has really set up a 'brokerage market', comments those concerned.
According to them, to carry out all the crimes smoothly, he (SP) has chosen former district BNP general secretary Nurul Islam, Tahirpur UNO Abul Hashem and OCs of various police stations as his partners. All of them are known to the locals as members of the SP's syndicate.
Such a horrific picture has emerged from the analysis of a secret report by a special government agency and the investigation of a national daily. The report has been sent to the police headquarters. It comments, 'After Superintendent of Police Anwar Hossain Khan joined Sunamganj, the involvement of the police in unethical activities including smuggling, illegal sand mining in the river, and criminal activities in the district has increased. The image of the police is being tarnished for the second time after August 5.'
When asked about this, IG of Police Baharul Alam told Jugantor, "I heard that there are complaints against him. However, the complaints have not yet reached me. If any truth is found in this matter after investigation, action will definitely be taken."
The investigation revealed that SP Anwar Hossain Khan, leading this empire of loot, is destroying the beauty of the area located at the foot of the Meghalaya hills bordering the border. His actions have created a kind of discomfort among the common people across the district. The crimes that have been regularly occurring in Sunamganj for the past 15 years have increased after August 5 instead of being completely eradicated.
In one place of the special report sent to the police headquarters, it is said that AFM Anwar Hossain Khan joined as SP of Sunamganj on September 8. Since then, he has involved himself in various irregularities and corruption. By abusing his power, he has posted OCs in various police stations of the district, transferred SIs and ASIs in police stations and outposts and given special cashiers. They are the ones who have withdrawn illegal money in the name of SP. In addition, to secure the OC and SI posting business, he has brought a long-time trusted stenographer working in the Jessore SP office to Sunamganj. Through him, he has posted OCs in various police stations and embezzled a huge amount of money.
Money Mine Jadukata: Investigations have revealed that the lessee does not extract sand from the Jadukata River, which is located at the foot of the Meghalaya hills, where the famous river of Nilpani is located. Because the most expensive sand in the country is found at the mouth of the river that meets the border between India and Bangladesh. Therefore, the sand miners have cut the mouth of Jadukata and transformed it into a haor. Even then, the sand miners are not stopping. They are also cutting the remaining parts of the river. This beautiful natural beauty has now been completely destroyed due to some former Deputy Commissioners, SPs, local Tahirpur Executive Officers and OCs. However, thousands of tourists travel to Jadukata every year to get close to Nilpani. In the past 15 years of the Awami League regime, party leaders have cut this river and looted hundreds of crores of taka. Although the current Deputy Commissioner has sincerely tried to stop the misdeeds of the sand syndicate owners, it has not happened because of this SP.
Investigations have revealed that former BNP General Secretary Nurul Islam has organized all the looting empires controlled by the absconding influential Awami League leaders in his own way. Earlier, District Awami League President Nurul Huda Mukut, former Sunamganj-1 MP Moazzem Hossain Ratan, Ranjit Sarkar and District Jubo League President Khairul Huda Chapal, former Sunamganj Sadar Upazila Chairman Khairul Huda Chapal, and Azad Hossain of Tahirpur controlled the crime empire. After August 5, all of them are absconding. After that, these crime empires in the district came under the control of former District BNP General Secretary Nurul Islam. When the district SP Anwar Hossain Khan became an accomplice in such looting by the BNP leader, the power of this syndicate took on a gigantic form.
The special intelligence report also raised the issue of SP's control of this syndicate. In this regard, it is said, 'A week after joining Sunamganj, the Superintendent of Police called Awami League leader Ratan Mia, owner of the illegal sand syndicate of Jadukata River of Tahirpur Police Station in the district, for a discussion. Former general secretary of the district BNP, Nurul Islam, assisted in organizing this meeting. After the fall of the Awami League, Ratan changed his mind and surrendered to Nurul Islam, posing as a BNP supporter, and took shelter to control the sand business. Thus, in Ratan's first meeting with the SP, he started the illegal sand business by giving 1.4 million taka to continue the illegal sand business. Because police cooperation is required to collect toll from sand-laden boats. If the police does not cooperate, this illegal sand business is bound to stop completely.'
On-site investigation revealed that not only this magical river, but also the best sand in the country is found in another popular river in Sunamganj, Dhopajan. The intelligence report also highlights the special relationship of the SP with these illegal sand traders. In this regard, it is said that, 'The government has stopped sand extraction in the Dhopajan river of Sunamganj Sadar Police Station. Taking this opportunity, a syndicate of illegal sand trading was formed there. These smugglers started cutting the banks of this river with the help of BNP leader Nurul Islam. The incident of cutting the banks of the river and looting sand took place with the help of the police. SP Anwar Hossain, sometimes through verbal agreements with BNP leaders, and sometimes through his trusted cashier, is collecting 15 to 20 thousand taka from a bulkhead loaded with sand. Currently, 3 lakh taka is collected from a maximum of 30 bulkheads from this Dhopajan every day in the name of the SP alone. The SP embezzles crores of taka every month from this illegal sand palace in Dhopajan.
Several senior leaders of the district BNP have admitted the truth of the allegations leveled against Nurul Islam. On condition of anonymity, they said that the organizing secretary of the district Jubo Dal, Kamrul Hasan Raju, senior joint convener of the Sadar Upazila Jubo Dal, Kalachan, and vice-president of the Swechchhasebak Dal, Sohel, control this syndicate operating in the name of BNP.
An SI working in the Sunamganj District DB confirmed the authenticity of these information. On condition of anonymity, he told the media that the Superintendent of Police, in collusion with BNP leader Nurul Islam, withdrew Tk 1.5 lakh from 10 large sand bulkheads on the night of November 22. Moreover, after joining the district, he has been withdrawing Tk 15 to 20 lakh daily by setting up joint check posts of DB police and police station from this dump.
Regarding these allegations, former district BNP general secretary Nurul Islam said, "No one can provide evidence regarding the allegations raised against me. It's not just me, there are no such allegations against any leader of the district BNP." In response to a question, he said, "Someone may try to gain advantage by bringing these allegations into discussion around the upcoming district BNP committee. However, I do not eat haram. Allah will judge if false allegations are made."
Investigation revealed that SP Anwar Tahirpur Police Station OC Delwar Hossain took bribes from illegal sand mining and smuggling on a weekly basis from Jadukata River. In addition, he took a share of smuggling through the OCs of Doarabazar, Bishambharpur, Jamalganj, and Madhyanagar police stations on the border. He has his own linemen on the border. These linemen prepare statistics on how sugar, onion, and coal are coming from which border. The smuggling money is divided accordingly. Tahirpur UNO Abul Hashem is regularly giving false information to the District Administrator that sand is not being extracted from illegal sand mining. However, 2 lakh taka goes to him every day for this illegal work.
When asked about this, Tahirpur Upazila Executive Officer Abul Hashem said, "There is a leased sand mine in Jadukata. When we got news that sand mining was going on in an unleased area, a mobile court was set up there and those involved were fined and jailed." In response to a question, he said, "I am alone. The complaint will be against me. There is no MP, no Upazila Chairman or any public representative. That is why the complaint is against me. However, I am not involved in any wrongdoing."
OC posting: Investigation revealed that SP Anwar changed all the OCs in the second phase in exchange for money in the name of reforming the activities of the district police. He brought one of his trusted people to Sunamganj and kept him in a hotel to safely transact bribes for officers joining 12 police stations in the district. His name is Ikram Hossain. He is a stenographer of Jessore SP office. CIV No. 9316186707. The 'OC posting business' was completed through this Ikram Hossain. On behalf of the SP, he was assisted by ASI (retd) Bidhan Dev and Steno-1 Siddiqur Rahman working in the crime branch of the Sunamganj District Police Superintendent's office. After August 5, this Ikram tempted several police inspectors who were panicking about transfers, postings and joblessness to give them the responsibility of OC. In this sequence, he called the then OC of Jagannathpur police station Azizur Rahman, who lives in London, and demanded 3 million taka. After August 5, he joined the police station on August 16 after being subjected to mass transfers. However, this money was demanded from him to remain in his post. When he did not pay this money, he was attached to the district police line and a police inspector named Moklesur Rahman was made the OC of Jagannathpur police station.
A summary of the amount of money taken in the race to become OCs in various police stations in the district after Anwar Hossain Khan joined as SP has also been presented in the special intelligence report sent to the police headquarters. It says that Moklesur Rahman Akand was charged Tk 30 lakh for the post of OC of Jagannathpur Police Station, Delwar Hossain was charged Tk 20 lakh for one year for the post of OC of Tahirpur Police Station, known as an area inhabited by smuggling, water and illegal sand mining, Dirai Police Station OC Md. Abdur Razzak was charged Tk 15 lakh, Bishwambharpur Police Station OC Md. Kausar Alam was charged Tk 10 lakh, Chhatak Police Station OC Golam Kibria Hasan was charged Tk 30 lakh, Sunamganj Sadar Police Station OC Nazmul Haque and DB OC Ahmed Ullah Bhuiyan were charged Tk 90 lakh for their postings. Jahidul Haque had to pay 3 million taka to be posted as the OC of another border police station, Doarabazar, which is notorious for smuggling. This SP Anwar Hossain transferred Jahidul Haque to three police stations within a week. Which is unprecedented. An explanation for why he was transferred in three phases was given in the secret report. In this regard, it is said that first, on September 19, he was transferred to Dirai Police Station for 10 million taka under Sunamganj District Order No. 83/2024. Later, Abdur Razzak secured the post for 15 million taka to go to Dirai. Then, instead of Dirai Police Station, Jahidul was made the OC of the newly formed Shantiganj Police Station on September 22, under Order No. 84/2024. In this situation, fearing whether he would earn money from posting by working in Shantiganj Police Station, Jahidul Haque grabbed the post for 3 million taka to go to Doarabazar Police Station, which is notorious for smuggling. He was transferred on September 24, pursuant to Order No. 88/2024.
Passport Verification: SP Anwar Hossain Khan also took bribes in passport verification of common people. In this regard, the secret report said that the DSB members of the police station verified the information of passport applicants in the district. Earlier, the DIO (Detective Intelligence Officer) used to pay Tk 150 to the SP at the time of submitting the report after the investigation of each passport. After Anwar Hossain joined as SP, he fixed Tk 250 for each passport verification. The report also gave an idea of how much money the SP takes from this sector. It said that approximately four to four and a half thousand applications are made in Sunamganj district every month to get a passport. Constable Hanif Ali working in the DSB delivered Tk 10 lakh to the SP at the rate of Tk 250 for 4 thousand passports every month.
The police clearance is required for ordinary people to go abroad on a worker visa. The report also states that the police station has calculated the number of police clearances given to Anwar Hossain and calculates the money. It says, 'On average, 2,500 to 3,000 police clearance certificates have to be issued every month in a total of 12 police stations in the district. The SP collects 200 taka from these police clearances. DSB Constable Hanif gives about 4.5 lakh taka to the SP every month from this sector.
Ten percent bribe exemption: The Superintendent of Police takes a bribe of Tk 250 from each passport verification and Tk 200 from each clearance, but gives a ten percent exemption on special consideration. In this regard, it is said that he does not take any bribe more than ten percent of the total number of passports and clearance certificates. Because SP Anwar takes into account various lobbying, political recommendations, recommendations from acquaintances. For example, if a police officer is given the responsibility of investigating 900 passports, he deducts ten percent from him and calculates 810 passports.
When asked about all the above-mentioned allegations, Sunamganj SP AFM Anwar Hossain Khan told Jugantor, "The district administration has leased the sand palace on the Jadukata River. The allegations against me here are baseless. Sand extraction in the Dhopajan River is banned. Smuggling at the border is entirely under the control of the BGB. The police have no role here. When asked about the transfer trade, the SP said, "After August 5, the OC's responsibility was given by force. No one agreed to take responsibility. The allegations about taking money are not correct. And if you go to work, you can get complaints. You have to accept these and fulfill your responsibilities."
