‘Samrat used to pay toll to ruling party leaders’

Expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Samrat used to pay big sum of toll to two top leaders of Jubo League and Swecchasebak League and many others. Samrat disclosed this during interrogation by the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

Jubo League chairman Omar Faruque Chowdhury, Swecchasebak League president Mollah Mohammad Abu Kaisar and many other Awami League leaders got a portion of Samrat’s money earned from casino business, tender business and extortion, a RAB official quoted Samrat as saying.

He also laundered money to more than one country.

Samrat, an influential leader and president of Dhaka City South unit Jubo League, came under the spotlight after RAB had started drives against illegal casino business in Dhaka on 18 September.

The members of RAB arrested Samrat and his aide Enamul Haque Arman in Cumilla 5 October 2019.

Later, they raided his office in Bhuiyan Trade Centre at Kakrail and recovered arms, yaba pills, foreign liquor, two kangaroo hides, said RAB officials.

RAB’s legal and media wing director Sarwar Bin Kashem  told Prothom Alo on Wednesday that Samrat had given some information on his source of income and disclosed the names of people whom he used to give toll.  RAB-1 will be handed over the charge of investigation of two cases filed against Samrat under the arms and narcotics control acts.

Steps would be taken against those who received toll from Samrat,  the RAB director added.

Samrat is still in hospital

Samrat has been taking treatment at Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Hospital authorities said that the tests he had undergone since his admision are positive.

He would not be released before Saturday, hospital sources said.

Medical board member Mohsin Ahmed said Samrat is now stable. But he is under observation for 24 hours as his heartbeat was irregular.

But he is now out of risk and would not need to be taken abroad, he added.

The home ministry on Wednesday wanted to know about Samrat from the Dhaka central jail’s superintendent. A home ministry official then asked why Smarat is still in hospital if his physical condition is stable.

A jail official at that moment said they do not have anything to do in this regard if the hospital authorities do not discharge him.

Asked, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said, “Physicians informed me that his heartbeat was irregular. But no one would be able to stay for luxury at the hospital feigning illness. I will look into the matter.”

Samrat’s wife, brother, leaders of Jubo League and Awami League, and pro Awami League physicians’ body Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad (Swachip) went to visit him Wednesday. His seat was later shifted.