Attracting Tarique Rahman's attentionPro-Awami journalist Zafar under BNP umbrella in Tangail

The role of the journalist community behind Sheikh Hasina becoming a dictator is immense. In this case, just as a syndicate of opportunistic and broker-flattering journalists was formed in Dhaka, a class of brokers called journalists was formed in every district of the country, even at the upazila level. For 17 long years, these oil traders became the owners of crores of taka by brokering the Awami League, i.e. Sheikh Hasina. Tangail district was not left out of this.

A syndicate has created a network everywhere, including government offices and courts, by making notorious people journalists. The common people are victims of their oppression, torture and oppression. The helpless people thought that they would get relief from these oppressors after the mass uprising. But some top leaders of BNP forget all the past incidents of oppression and torture that happened to them during the Awami regime. BNP leaders are giving shelter to these dishonest journalists in exchange for money. It is uncertain when the people of Tangail will be freed from the hands of these dishonest people.

In the face of student and public protests, fascist Hasina fled the country to India on August 5 last year. The news of Hasina's departure reached Tangail between 2:30 and 3 pm that day. At around 5 pm, angry journalists, who had been victims of long-standing torture and assault cases in Tangail, entered the Tangail Press Club and broke into the Awami League headquarters. Awami Dalal took out the journalists and locked them up.

The angry students, public and journalists first locked the gambling room of the district Awami League general secretary in the press club. At that time, the president of the Tangail Press Club and other Awami League supporters fled and took shelter in various places.

It is said that the president of the Press Club, Zafar Ahmed, hid in the toilet of his house in Kagmara for several days. Not only that, Zafar himself locked the gate of his luxurious house for self-defense.

For almost 17 years, the Tangail Press Club was the alternative office of the district Awami League. All the misdeeds in the district, including tender rigging, extortion, land grabbing, recruitment business, nomination business, murder, suppression of opposition leaders and activists, and disappearance cases, were conducted from this press club. The person who led all these was the president of the Tangail Press Club, Zafar Ahmed. With the change of power, he changed his mind and became a pro-BNP journalist leader.

Within a very short time, Jafar joined various BNP meetings, rallies, and seminars and gave speeches. Although this is ridiculous and embarrassing for professional journalists, it is good news for Jafar.

The review and secret news is that Jafar gave his illegally earned crores of taka as gifts to top leaders to control and get close to BNP leaders. Which has not only damaged the standards of the journalistic community but has also corrupted this noble profession.

Various intelligence agencies are aware of the terrible form of Jafar under the guise of journalism. The victims of his torture are people from different classes of professions, including journalists. The victims are so helpless that they have no place or ability to seek justice. Senior journalists of Tangail have lost to Jafar's infamy in the fight for their honor and dignity.

Recently, this reporter went to Tangail to investigate these issues on the spot, and spoke to leaders of various political parties, including BNP, people from social organizations, administration, businessmen, and ordinary people. The information and data he obtained was truly shocking.

Investigations revealed that the Tangail Press Club, established about 54 years ago, was completely free from politics. After the Awami League came to power in 2009, the then general secretary of the press club, Zafar Ahmed, the district correspondent of Daily Jugantor and Boishakhi TV, started granting membership to Awami League leaders to prolong his position.

It is worth noting that although Zafar worked in two major media houses, the authorities never checked how efficient he was at work. In the last 17 years, district Awami League president Fazlur Rahman Khan Faruk, district Awami League general secretary and former MP Joaherul Islam, Sadar MP Chanowar Hossain, and MP Khan Ahmed Shuvo were given membership in turn. In addition, Zafar Ahmed retained his position by giving membership to at least 25 people blessed by Awami League, including leaders of Awami League and allied organizations. As a result, the press club practically turned into an alternative office of the district Awami League. Which ordinary members could not accept in any way. In addition, many people were given membership by submitting fake certificates. However, many professional journalists have not been given membership yet. But there is nothing to be done. If they protest, they are punished by filing a case.

For the past 15 years, the district Awami League general secretary used to occupy a room in the club and hold gambling sessions there all night long. All the district's tender bidding, seizure bidding, nomination business, recruitment business, murder plans, missing persons cases against BNP-Jamaat leaders, and all the misdeeds were conducted from the press club. Zafar Ahmed used to lead everything. He is so terrible and shameless that people from all walks of life in Tangail are aware of it. Looking at fear and honor, no one protests against Zafar's injustice and oppression.

Until the day before former Prime Minister Hasina fled, the order to shoot was given from the Press Club during the student-public movement. The angry ordinary members had been waiting for Hasina's fall for almost 17 years. On August 5, they also declared the Press Club broker-free. But nothing has been done. The top two leaders of the district BNP have protected Zafar and kept him in the Press Club. Similarly, other members blessed by Awami are still in the same position. Their syndicate business is going on as before. The common people are fed up with their behavior. The administration silently hates them.

Numerous innocent people and political leaders have fallen victim to the false writings of the Jafar team. Especially, the BNP leaders of Tangail were the victims of Jafar's pen to keep the Awami League leaders happy and to get privileges. BNP leaders could not sleep at home for almost 17 years. BNP leaders were paralyzed with hundreds of cases. 99 percent of BNP leaders and activists are victims of attacks and cases by the Awami dictator. Some top BNP leaders are tarnishing the party's image among the people by giving shelter to Awami Dosar Jafar. The general leaders and activists of Tangail district BNP are afraid that this will have an impact on the upcoming national elections.

They claimed that the top leaders of BNP were once in a state of running out of water to buy salt. And after August 5, they have become the owners of crores of taka by exempting Awami leaders Faruk and Zafar Ahmed and many others from cases and providing shelter in exchange for money. The leaders have drawn the attention of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman on this issue.

About two months ago, a similar complaint letter reached the office of 'The Finance Today' newspaper. Taking the matter seriously, the newsroom formed a smart team to investigate. After about two months of investigation and verification, the truth of the complaint was found.

The incidents that have been reported in Tangail in the name of journalism by fascist Hasina over the past 17 years are truly shocking. Although it may seem like a story when heard from the victims, this was the real picture of Tangail. Many BNP members burst into tears while talking to this reporter. The sky and air became heavy with tears streaming down their faces. Thousands of questions in the eyes of innocent people.

A businessman, who asked not to be named, said, "We always knew that journalists are the conscience of the nation. But we were tormented by Jafar's harassment for 17 years."

At the district level, under the guise of journalism, assets worth hundreds of crores of taka can be built only by brokering the Awami League. This is a surprise. Zafar Ahmed has built assets worth hundreds of crores of taka by brokering the Awami League. Several complaints have been submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission detailing the assets, including multiple flats in Dhaka, fifty shops in the market, luxurious houses, multiple plots, and a huge amount of land in anonymous names. But why, why the ACC is delaying in taking legal action against Zafar remains unknown.

However, ACC sources said that the investigation team of the ACC has found the truth of the allegations against Jafar. The source said that Jafar has tried to lobby hard using some of his loyalists at different times, which is creating disruptions in the investigation.

Business with murder case

Investigations revealed that schoolboy Maruf Hossain was shot dead on August 5 during the student-public movement. A murder case was filed in Tangail on August 18. Tangail's MP-minister and some top leaders were accused in this case. But Tangail's godfather and mastermind of all misdeeds, District Awami League President and District Council Chairman Fazlur Rahman Faruk, was excluded from the case. A transaction of three crore taka was made to exempt him from the case. The matter is still a hot topic in Tangail.

Sources say that the main architect of excluding Faruk from the Maruf murder case was the Awami League's ally, the president of the Dosar Press Club, Zafar Ahmed. Two top leaders of the district BNP were used to release Faruk from the murder case in exchange for 30 million taka. In addition, a coordinator of the anti-discrimination movement played an important role. According to the agreement, they divided the 30 million taka after the agreement.

Since then, the syndicate controlled by journalist Zafar Ahmed has been earning huge money by protecting Awami League leaders in Tangail and trading in cases.

Possession

Starting from the possession of Balu Mahal in the district, to the takeover of the Tempu stand, bus terminal everything is being run from the press club just like during the Awami regime. Even the brothels of Tangail are not exempted from the grip of the evil-minded Jafar.

The clerical community is a victim of oppression and torture. 

Another serious allegation against Zafar is that he used to force the religious community to attend religious meetings and processions during the Awami League government. This Zafar Ahmed was the main mastermind behind the harassment of many religious scholars.

Coordinator sent to jail for protecting MP's house

According to information received from reliable sources, District Awami League General Secretary and former MP Joaherul Islam built a luxurious mansion in Akur Takur Para town with illegal income. When the dictator Hasina fell, District Awami League General Secretary and former MP Joaherul Islam secretly took shelter in Zafar Ahmed's house in Kagmara in the municipal area. Joaher hid in this house, thinking it was quite safe.

After seven or eight days, a local journalist suddenly posted on his Facebook that the District Awami League General Secretary was hiding in a journalist's house. Then at night, Joaher went into hiding in Zafar Ahmed's personal car. The matter was the talk of the town in Tangail at that time. Later, with the help of Zafar, Joaher fled abroad.

Awami League leader and former MP Joaher built an upscale hotel in the Akur Takur neighborhood of the city with illegal money. After Hasina fled, her family members fled, leaving the building abandoned.

Meanwhile, on March 8, the first-ranking fire girl coordinator in Tangail's anti-discrimination movement, Maryam Mukaddas Mishti, brought some madmen to the ground floor of Joaher's house and sheltered them. At that time, MP Joaher, who was in hiding, sent his wife to the press club. There, in a long meeting with BNP's top leaders, Jafar took responsibility for rescuing the house in exchange for three million taka. As per the agreement, Jafar Ahmed reached the spot at night with some of his loyal journalists. He spread the news on Facebook and some so called media house and online portals that the house was being occupied illegally. After receiving the news, the police came and removed the madmen from there. The coordinator Mishti was held and taken to the police station but was later released on bail.

Meanwhile, at night, MP Joaher's wife, Rawshan Ara Khan, was sent to the police station and a case of looting, vandalism and extortion was filed. This is the first case filed in Tangail on behalf of the Awami League. So far, there is no precedent of a case being filed on behalf of the Awami League anywhere in the country. Then, around midnight, the police arrested Mishti from the housing area of ​​West Akur Takur Para in the city. Mishti, known as the fire girl of the road, is still serving her sentence.

Case against Sheikh Hasina withdrawn 

Meanwhile, in January 2024, a case was filed in Tangail, the first in the country, on charges of organizing a 'dummy' election (12th parliamentary election) and stealing votes. Bhuyapur Upazila BNP leader Kamrul Hasan filed a case in court against 193 people, including the autocratic Sheikh Hasina and the Chief Election Commissioner. Four local journalists were also accused in the case, accusing them of manipulating the election. Several top leaders of the district Awami League, MPs, Home Minister-Agriculture Minister, IG of Police, former Chief Election Commissioner Habibul Awal, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, OC, and presiding officers of various centers were accused in this.

But two days after filing the case, the plaintiff Kamrul Hasan withdrew the case. Earlier, the court judge took cognizance of the case and also recorded the plaintiff's statement. He also ordered the officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhuiyanpur Police Station to investigate and submit a report. At the same time, he fixed the next hearing of the case for August 13.

The incident of the case being withdrawn after it was filed against Sheikh Hasina was widely publicized in various print and electronic media.

Sensational information has been found on the spot regarding the withdrawal of Sheikh Hasina's case. Multiple reliable sources have said that the plaintiff in the case was Kamrul Hasan, a BNP leader from Bhuapur, the constituency of Advocate Abdus Salam Pintu, who was accused in the false case of the August 21 grenade attack. Immediately after the case was filed, the absconding accused put pressure on the long-time Awami League ally Press Club President Zafar Ahmed.

The accused told Zafar, "You have used us for the last 15 years and have become the owner of hundreds of crores of taka. Now it is your business how to withdraw the case." Later that night, Zafar Ahmed called the two top leaders of Bhuyapur Upazila BNP and the plaintiff in the case to the Tangail Press Club. In a meeting that lasted for several hours, the plaintiff was pressured to withdraw the case. But the plaintiff Kamrul remained adamant in his decision.

Then Zafar Ahmed contacted BNP Vice Chairman Abdus Salam Pintu. He told him that journalists have been made defendants in the case. As a result, all journalists in the country will turn against you. After creating such fear, the plaintiff was finally convinced to withdraw the case. The next day, the plaintiff applied to the court to withdraw the case.

Court Judge Rumelia Sirajam heard the statements of the plaintiff in the case and the plaintiff's lawyer Abu Raihan Khan and ordered the case to be registered.

Journalist Zafar Ahmed is known to the district residents as a friend and broker of the Awami League. Everyone is aware of his corruption. But nothing matters. Since August 5, the top leaders of BNP have been protecting Zafar. BNP leaders have praised Zafar by making him sit next to them in various meetings and press conferences at the press club. However, BNP was banned from the Awami League's press club for 17 years through a resolution.

After the fall of fascist Sheikh Hasina, the brokers and associates they left behind across the country are working openly for the Awami League. In addition to maintaining regular contact with the fascist Awami League leaders who are in hiding, these brokers in the name of journalists are smuggling all the information.

To erase all the allegations against Jafar, some of the top leaders of the local level of BNP have sold out for money. They are busy gathering their own sugarcane instead of protecting the interests of the party and its leaders and activists. A grouping has been created among the top leaders of Tangail district BNP, centered only on Jafar. Because everyone wants to get close to Jafar for money.

The next part will coming soon for readers with a fascinating insight into Zafar Ahmed's "The Terrifying Face and Wealth Behind Journalism."