AL offers Tk 500 to join flash procession
From snacks and tea to a daily payment of Tk 300–500 at the end of the day—ordinary people are reportedly being lured into joining flash marches organized by the banned Awami League and its affiliated organizations.
While the main leaders remain in hiding they are allegedly hiring day labourers and street children to gather people for the marches. Soon as a few seconds of photographs and video footage are captured the organizers quickly leave the scene. Participants are reportedly offered bonuses if the march is successfully completed.
An investigation has found that over the three months several flash marches have been held at various secluded locations in Savar and Ashulia under the banners of the Awami League, Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League.
No than 20–25 people have been seen participating in these marches. Two or three first- or second-tier leaders are placed at the front while the rest are reportedly hired. They include day labourers, street children, brick-kiln workers and transport-sector workers.
Multiple sources and an investigation have confirmed that Manzurul Alam Rajib, chairman of Savar Upazila Parishad, who is reportedly staying in India provides instructions and sets the schedules for these marches.
On Rajib’s advice Tanvir Ahmed Tanu, a municipal Swechhasebak League leader staying in India contacts Sayem Molla, secretary of Dhaka District North Swechhasebak League and Mazharul Islam Rubel, former general secretary of Savar Union Awami League. Sayem and Rubel then assign Alomgir Hossain, secretary of Savar Municipality Swechhasebak League to oversee the marches at the field level.
Alomgir Hossain reportedly entrusts the responsibility for gathering people to his close associate a mason named Apon. Apon is given a target of bringing least 100 people to each march and Alomgir allegedly sends him Tk 30,000–50,000 for the purpose.
Meanwhile Sayem Molla reportedly sends Tk 30,000 per procession directly to Imran Hossain as support. A portion of the money received by Imran allegedly goes to Apon’s brother Dulal. Dulal then reportedly brings day labourers and street children from areas by offering them Tk 500 each. However of the promised Tk 300–500 per person they are allegedly handed only Tk 100–200 while intermediaries pocket the remainder.
The inexperienced day labourers and street children brought in for money are hurriedly handed banners. After photographs and videos are recorded for one to three minutes the footage is quickly sent through Telegram and WhatsApp groups to leaders staying abroad. Soon as the task is completed the main coordinators and front-line leaders reportedly leave the area.
In a manner a man named Sourav who identifies himself as a member of Dhaka North City Corporation’s Darus Salam Thana Awami League was arrested while preparing for a march in the Birulia area. Similar information was reportedly obtained from him. He allegedly collected hundreds of thousands of taka from leaders in exchange for supplying people. At times he also participated in the marches himself with video clips reportedly obtained as evidence. Essentially renting out people for marches had allegedly become his main business.
A teenager named Sohag, who recently participated in one of the marches said he was taken to the march after being promised Tk 500. Through him another 10–12 teenagers also joined. Police later. Arrested him after reviewing the video footage.
When asked about hiring people for flash marches Sohel Rana, president of Savar Sadar Union Awami League and chairman of the union parishad, told Asia Post over the phone that some local teenagers and ordinary working-class people have recently been detained and harassed without reason. He said claims that they were involved in politics or were paid to join marches were completely baseless and fabricated.
He further said that given the situation no family would want their underage children to become involved in any risky activities. Yet he alleged, innocent boys were being tortured in an attempt to force them to confess to allegations.
Al Amin, in-charge of the Birulia police outpost said Sourav had been publicly organizing and financing marches in the Aminbazar, Hemayetpur and Gabtoli areas while identifying himself as a member of the Dhaka North City Corporation’s Darus Salam Thana Awami League.
He allegedly participated directly while also hiring people in exchange for sums of money. He was arrested in front of the Boat Club based on information received while he was preparing for another march in the Birulia area. According to investigation Sourav was allegedly running a business of hiring people for flash marches using money provided by leaders living abroad much like the activities of decorator and mason groups.
Imtiaz, a sub-inspector of Savar Model Police Station said three people who were directly involved in marches and had allegedly created several WhatsApp groups to collect money from home and abroad and organize the incidents had been arrested.
He said all three were organizationally affiliated with the banned organization. However many people allegedly brought street children and destitute individuals to the marches by offering them money. The investigation into the financiers, behind the activities is ongoing and their names cannot be disclosed at this stage for the sake of the investigation.
Jahangir Alam, superintendent of police (Crime and Operations) of Dhaka District said a group was providing money to hire people from different sections of society for such activities.
He said they were being brought under the law based on investigations and intelligence information. The main planners were allegedly using day labourers and destitute people as targets to conceal their own identities by offering them small amounts of money.
Some names of financiers had reportedly been obtained from the arrested suspects. Those names are being kept confidential to facilitate the ongoing investigation and the arrest of others. He said the actual purpose of the operation would become clear once the main organizers were taken into custody.