Jubo League expels Samrat

Published at 07:37 am October 6th, 2019

Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat emerged as an influential leader of Jubo league during the Awami League regime of 1996-2001 Dhaka Tribune

'Samrat’s accomplice Arman, from Comilla, has also been expelled'

Dhaka South Jubo League President Ismail Chowdhury Samrat has been expelled from the party for breaching party discipline and conducting unethical practices.

Iqbal Mahmood Bablu, publication secretary of Central Jubo League, confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune on Sunday.

He said Samrat’s accomplice Arman, from Comilla, has also been expelled.

RAB officials have begun a raid at Samrat's Dhaka South Jubo League office in the capital's Kakrail area around 1:40pm on Sunday, after the elite force brought him back to Dhaka from Comilla around 1:15pm on the same day.

Samrat and Arman were arrested from Chauddagram upazila of Comilla around 5am earlier in the day.

Crackdown on illegal casinos

The involvement of Jubo League leaders in overseeing illicit gambling operations came to light after the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) uncovered the illegal casino business during raids at Young Men's Club, Wanderers Club and Muktijoddha Krira Chakra on September 18.

The elite police unit arrested Khalid Mahmud, organising secretary of Jubo League's Dhaka south unit, the same day before nabbing Kalabagan Krira Chakra President and Krishak League leader Shafiqul Alam Firoz.

Also Read - Is Samrat the real casino king of Dhaka?

GK Shameem, Jubo League leader and businessman, was arrested two days later for money laundering, illegal possession of arms, and narcotics.

Later, raids by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police at the Mohammedan Sporting Club, Dilkhusha Sporting Club, Victoria Sporting Club and Arambagh Sporting Club also uncovered similar gambling operations.

On Thursday September 27, RAB arrested Mohammedan’s Director-in-Charge Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan and charged him with money laundering, over his proceedings from the decades-old club.

Since September 18, RAB and police have raided different clubs across Bangladesh, busting illegal casinos. A number of people, including Jubo league leaders, were detained and then showed arrested after the raids.

Samrat went into hiding after being suspected of running illegal casinos. On September 24, Police Headquarters issued a travel ban against him.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal recently said Samrat will be brought to justice if evidence surfaces that he has committed a crime.