Identified Pro-AL loyalists secured top position in SUJAN’s Tangail district committee

The person in the red circle is Harun-or Rashid, the vice-president of Sujan's newly formed Tangail District Committee

Several identified Awami League loyalists and long-time beneficiaries of the previous regime have secured key positions—including the vice-presidency—of the newly formed district committee of “Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN),” one of the country’s most prominent civic organisations.

These individuals, described as collaborators of the fascist regime, reportedly held top posts in various social and cultural organisations over the past 15 years. Many of them allegedly accumulated massive wealth through political patronage.

Following the fall of the Hasina regime on August 5, these highly controversial figures, who had gone into partial hiding, are now allegedly attempting to regain social legitimacy through SUJAN. This has sparked significant outrage within the civil society. Questions are being raised across different spheres as to how SUJAN—a non-political civic platform—appointed such controversial Awami League affiliates without proper scrutiny.

According to sources, the district-level formation of this committee was carried out by those responsible for oversight in Tangail. A senior SUJAN official has confirmed that the matter will be examined seriously.

Controversial Awami Loyalist Secures Vice-President Position

It has been learned that SUJAN recently formed its Tangail district committee. Harun-ur-Rashid—an identified beneficiary and collaborator of Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian regime over the past 15 years—has secured the position of vice-president. Several other controversial Awami League loyalists have also obtained important positions.

During the Awami League’s rule, Harun-ur-Rashid reportedly engaged in administrative lobbying, flattery, NGO-based exploitation, and amassed massive wealth illegally. He is widely known in Tangail as a self-admitted man of bad character. Civil society members are questioning how such an individual was appointed to a top position in one of the nation’s leading civic platforms.

Meanwhile, SUJAN Tangail’s district president, Khan Mohammad Khaled, is currently abroad due to personal engagements. In his absence, Harun-ur-Rashid has arranged a round-table discussion scheduled for December 6. This has sparked intense resentment among civil society representatives. Those who suffered harassment during the 15 years of the Hasina regime say they cannot accept a round-table discussion presided over by a known Awami League collaborator.

Involvement With Past Controversial Awami League Figures

Interviews with people from various professions in Tangail reveal that Harun-ur-Rashid was the right-hand man of the late Fazlur Rahman Khan Faruk, the district Awami League president and one of Tangail’s top political godfathers. Locals widely identified Harun as a sycophant of the administration and a hardcore Awami League agent.

Over the past 15 years, he allegedly accumulated enormous wealth. He occupied top positions in numerous social and cultural organisations, including the general secretary post of the 150-year-old historical Tangail Club. After August 5, club members removed him from the post through a ballot.

He also reportedly placed his wife as the principal of Tangail Pre-Cadet School. After receiving the contract for constructing the school’s market, he and his family took possession of six shops at nominal prices. These shops are now worth nearly four crore taka. Allegations also exist against his wife regarding embezzlement of school funds. Following the fall of the Hasina regime, school teachers and guardians forced her to resign, and Harun and his wife had to be rescued by military and law enforcement personnel from public outrage.

Allegations of Abuse of Power in Tangail Club

Members of the Tangail Club claim that under the protection of the Awami League leadership—Fazlur Rahman Khan Faruk (district AL president), Joaherul Islam Joaher MP (general secretary), MP Sanuar Hossain, MP Sohel Hazari, Mayor Sirajul Haque Alamgir, Golam Kibria Muni, MP Khan Ahmed Shuvo, and Press Club president Zafar Ahmed—Harun granted membership to at least 15 politically powerful figures.

The club’s constitution did not permit father–son joint memberships, yet Harun changed the constitution to grant membership to the AL district president and his son. Hence, an entirely non-political social club was effectively turned into an Awami League party office. Most of the party’s controversial activities over the past 15 years were allegedly planned and executed from this club.

Every year, Harun organized grand celebrations of Sheikh Hasina’s and her family members’ birthdays through the Tangail Club. When former minister and founding BNP general secretary of the district, Advocate Abdul Salam Pintu, was falsely implicated in the August 21 grenade attack case, Harun removed his name from the club’s honour board. After Pintu was released post-August 5, Harun secretly restored his name to the board at night.

History of NGO Fraud

Investigations reveal that in 1997–98 Harun founded an NGO named GDS and acted as its executive director. By promising high returns, the NGO collected several crores from ordinary people. Then, without any notice, the organisation ceased operations. Even after more than a decade, depositors did not receive their money back. Harun allegedly embezzled the funds.

Capturing Multiple Social and Cultural Platforms

With the blessing of top Awami League leaders, Harun occupied the post of vice-president in the district sports association, Sakhin Angling Club, SP Park, DC Park, and several other major social organisations during the 15-year rule of the AL regime.

Civil Society questions SUJAN’s integrity

Civil society members say they cannot accept how such a well-known corrupt figure and Awami League collaborator secured a top position in SUJAN—an organisation that advocates good governance.

They believe SUJAN’s reputation has been severely damaged by this appointment and are demanding immediate scrutiny and corrective action.