Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Dr. Faozul Kabir Khan said, politicians are eager to come to power; we also want to return to our profession. We do not have much time in hand.

He made these comments at a seminar titled ‘Prosperous Bangladesh through Reforms and Sustainable Development’ organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF) at the Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on Saturday (November 2).

The energy adviser said, expectations are sky-high for us, people think we have a magic wand in our hands, we can change everything. We have taken responsibility in difficult circumstances, there is no money in the treasury and there are debts to various institutions.

He said, what is the difference between this government and other governments, to become a government you have to vote, it takes money, muscle power, there are various issues. Therefore, the government is responsible to vested interests. And we have taken responsibility and are not responsible to vested interests. We are responsible for the thousands of people who died and were injured in the anti-discrimination movement. We are working with their concerns in mind.

He also said that the government is a kind of deposit. We have to keep in mind the people's concerns when we spend their money. Whenever we take up a project, we go to the people and take their opinions. We are canceling the home-going project; we are taking up projects according to the people's wishes. Efforts are being made to reduce corruption as much as possible. And the procurement will be done through competition.

Dr. Faozul Kabir Khan said that the work of reform has started. People objected to the unbridled increase in the prices of electricity and gas. The previous government changed the BERC Act and increased the prices through executive orders. We will not go that way. BERC will decide on the prices. The special provision (Immunity Act) of 2010 has been repealed. Now the tender will be through open competition.

Stating that institutional reforms have started, he said that to become the head of Metrorail, he must be a former secretary. We said that he will not be needed. He must have experience in operating Metrorail in the country and abroad. A professor has been made the chairman of the PGCB board.

The energy adviser said that LNG worth Tk. 5,000 to Tk. 6,000 crore has to be imported every year. This will continue to increase if the domestic gas reserves do not increase. Initiatives have been taken to dig more wells to increase the gas reserves.

Addressing journalists, he said, "I am receiving many reports of corruption and irregularities every day. If I only focus on these, it will be difficult to do other work. Along with corruption and irregularities, I want a directional report so that it is easier for us to take decisions."

Bangladesh Railway Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali said, "It can be said that 99 percent of projects have been imposed from above, there was no opportunity for judgment and analysis. Due to which people's expectations have not been fulfilled and returns are not coming."

The key-note paper was presented by Dr. AKM Atiqur Rahman, Director of the Economic Research Platform. He said that the power sector has developed considerably, but there are questions about its quality. A survey of the quality of infrastructure development (2019) showed that Bangladesh is ranked 105th. The primary energy sector has not received the importance it deserves in development; power plants are idle due to lack of fuel, which is why load shedding is happening in rural areas.

Professor Dr. Md. Shamsul Alam, Civil Engineering Department, BUET, said, the philosophy of flyovers is a philosophy of the sixties. Many of those who did it without knowing it are demolishing it. We are walking on the wrong path. We said, low cost, no cost in some places but it still did not happen. The way it has rotted, it is very difficult to pull it out.

Former President of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, Akhter Mahmud, said, Dhaka's sidewalks are being cut and roads are being made shorter, 32 percent of the population moves on foot. There is no attention to them; the attention is focused on roads. I cannot call this proper development.

Research Director of CPD, Khandaker Golam Moazzem, said, this government has to bear the responsibility of the unplanned investments of the previous government. We can see effective initiatives in the interim government's reforms, we can see efforts to make BERC effective and this is a good initiative. He said, we have seen contractors preparing project proposals; this is also a big problem.

Umama Fatema, coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, said, the Awami League government has looted in the name of infrastructure development. Until now, these issues could not be talked about; today we can say that this is the benefit of the student movement.

Mahin Sarkar, another coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, said, we have seen that the overall economy of the country has not progressed that way; some new riches have been created. The benefits of Bangladeshi workers could not be ensured in that way. Due to which there is almost worker dissatisfaction.

Along with large industries, small and cottage industries must be kept alive. These are part of our heritage. He expressed hope that the interim government will provide a roadmap.

General Secretary Masudul Haque moderated the seminar under the chairmanship of BSRF President Fasih Uddin Mahtab. CEAB Chief Advisor Qi Changlian and Jahangir Nagar University Professor Dr. Sharmand Neelomi participated in the discussion.

Chapainawabganj: The railway authorities have declared the 'Agricultural Special Train' closed after running for a day due to losses. The train used to run from Rohanpur Railway Station in Gomostapur Upazila of Chapainawabganj towards Dhaka.

The train will no longer run from today, Saturday (November 2).

Sujit Kumar Biswas, Chief Commercial Manager of Bangladesh Railway (Western Zone), confirmed this information on Friday night.

He said that after the train was started, there was no response from farmers or agricultural traders. They are not interested in transporting agricultural products by train. That is why the train has been closed.

Railway officials said that the agricultural special train started its journey from Rohanpur Station in Chapainawabganj on October 26. The train was supposed to run on the Rohanpur-Dhaka route once a week, i.e. every Saturday. But on Friday night, the railway control room informed us that the train would no longer run.

On the first journey of the train last Saturday, no agricultural products were received from Chapainawabganj and Rajshahi. As a result, the empty train left for Dhaka. It is known that on October 26, the distance from Rohanpur in Chapainawabganj to Dhaka is 346 kilometers. The cost of train transportation over this distance was Tk. 8 lakh 96 thousand 432. But on the first day yesterday, 150 kg of empty egg crates went on the train from Rajshahi. From which the railway authorities collected Tk. 360 for rent. That is, the loss on this day was Tk. 8 lakh 96 thousand 72. 

Dhaka: In November 2020, Habib Hasan, Joint General Secretary of the Metropolitan North Awami League, was elected as a member of parliament in the by-election for Dhaka-18 constituency. In just 3 years and 2 months after being elected as an MP, the amount of cash increased 11 times. And during this time, this Member of Parliament has built a mountain of wealth by grabbing and extorting money.

In the election affidavit, Habib Hasan mentioned a house in his own name. And the source of income was shop rent. His annual income in that sector was Tk. 10 lakh 64 thousand 712. In 2020, he had Tk. 11 lakh 46 thousand 744 in his bank, in 2024 it increased to Tk. 1 crore 40 lakh, which is 11 and a half times in 2024 compared to 2020.

In the affidavit, it can be seen that Habib Hasan became the owner of two to six plots. During this time, Habib became the owner of 6 cars from 2 cars. In 2020, Habib Hasan's bank loan was Tk. 2 crore 47 lakh. He paid off the loan in full in 2024. In 2020, Habib had two plots in Turag. In 2024, he became the owner of a total of three plots. In addition, he has another plot of 15 decimals in Pallabi, Dhaka. In 2024, he became the owner of 13.5 percent of another six-story building in Uttara.

However, Habib used to keep these illegal funds in a relative's house instead of keeping them with him. After the fall of the government, the police raided a house in Uttara last September and recovered Tk. 1.16 crore and a large amount of foreign currency. According to Dhaka Metropolitan Police sources, the house where the raid was conducted is the in-laws' house of Habib Hasan's son Abir Hasan. The seized money, foreign currency and cars belong to two MPs Habib Hasan and his family members.

According to local residents, although Habib had flats, plots, markets and luxurious houses in different areas of the capital, he used to handle many things secretly. Habib was a partner in the housing business in Uttara and was involved in extortion. Local residents in Uttara are discussing that a large part of the corruption money has been laundered to Canada. They said that Habib has built houses and businesses in Canada.

Houses and money laundering abroad-

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is continuing its investigation against former MP Habib Hasan from Dhaka-18 constituency. The ACC sent a letter to the relevant institution on September 14, seeking information on the money, property, land and bank accounts in his name. Habib Hasan, by abusing his position as MP and joint general secretary of the Metropolitan North Awami League, got involved in various corruption and immoral activities. He has built up assets worth crores of taka in the name of himself, his wife, son and brothers through irregularities and corruption. Local sources have learned that Habib's son Abir Hasan has purchased a house in Begumpara, Canada for 15 lakh 50 thousand Canadian dollars in the name of Tanim. In addition, he has built up a huge mountain of illegal assets in the country and abroad.

Domination and occupation-

Habib Hasan became an MP in the 2020 by-election. In his election affidavit, he has shown 150 percent of his property as non-agricultural land, which is a little more than three bighas. But in the Baunia area of Turag police station, starting from the side of the Biman runway to Uttara Sector 17, he has declared Habib City in his name and Lee City in his father's name. This vast area is surrounded by a high brick wall. A signboard with the name Latif City is hung on the gate next to Sector 17.

It was found out after investigation that he bought 10 bighas of this himself. He either occupied the rest of the land or took control of the land for a nominal price. Due to the pressure of the MP and his cadre force, the real owner did not get a chance to go near their land.

The victims alleged that Habib offered to register it in his name for 5 to 6 lakh taka per katha. If anyone objected to selling it, he seized the land by threatening, threatening and filing a case. After registering the land from many people, he paid half of the stipulated amount. The remaining half of the money was left to be paid later, and time was taken. Then the creditor would start harassing him if he asked for money on time.

Several illegal bars were established in different sectors of Uttara under Habib's patronage. There, as soon as night fell, there would be energetic dancing and drinking with music. Anti-social activities would also take place. Percentages (MP money) would go to Habib Hasan every month from these bars.

Property increased in name and anonymity-

Within a year of becoming an MP, Habib converted his ancestral house in Uttara into a two-story palace. He built a rickshaw garage, a food hotel and tin shed houses for the lower class on the government land next to it and rented them out. However, those houses are now occupied by BNP leaders and activists. Habib Hasan built a huge eight-story market on his ancestral property next to the Uttara Rajlaxmi Complex.

Apart from this, locals said that Habib has about 20 of his own flats in different sectors of Uttara. Habib has several houses. However, he bought many of them in the names of his family members to hide them from public view.

He used his brother to use force

Of the four brothers, Habib Hasan was the eldest. The elder brother is deceased. The elder brother is Hadim, the younger brother is Sohel. After being elected as an MP, Habib focused on extortion instead of focusing on public welfare work. And his younger brother Salauddin Sohel, who was an MP, used to use Habib's power in the same way. The places where this brother of Habib has put his paws are illegal raw markets in Uttara, extortion in transport (Laguna-auto rickshaw), dish-internet antenna, sidewalk extortion, foot-trading etc.

The committee was announced without holding the elections of the Actors' Welfare Association, not paying the decorator's work in various political programs, extortion in hotels, restaurants, furniture markets, schools and colleges, illegal electricity and gas connection rent, percentage of garbage cleaning, etc. Even if the local residents sold the land, Sohel would take a percentage from it on behalf of Habib. Habib occupied land in Baunia, Uttara and built a market. Sohel established a furniture market on an empty plot of RAJUK on Sonargaon Janpath Road in Sector 11, Uttara. Sohel used to take monthly rent from about 200 furniture shops there, which are now under the control of the leaders and workers of the local BNP and their affiliated organizations. The violence of Habib's force Habib and his brother Sohel's cadre force members would deliver money to their pockets every month. At the local level, separate forces would deliver money to their pockets based on different wards and places. Habib's main tool in land grabbing was Awami League leader Nur Hossain. Ward 51 councilor Shariful Islam and his followers are involved in extortion at the furniture market. Councilor Motaleb is a follower of Habib involved in extortion at Abdullahpur fish market.

Habib, his son Tanim and brother Sohel used to collect Tk. 5 lakh from the kitchen market adjacent to Uttara Sector 10. Nazmul, known as 'Aynabaaz', used to collect extortion at this market. In exchange for money, he used to jail others under his own name. This Nazmul is known as a pistol dealer among the locals. He used to point a pistol at people. RAB raided his house and recovered a huge amount of drugs. Several cases are also ongoing against him.

A leader at the level of secretary of Turag Thana Awami League said that Habib Hasan was desperate to do everything alone. His brother was also like that. Despite being a party MP, he did not do anything for the party leaders and workers. He did not pay attention to the welfare of the local people. He also harassed the party leaders in various ways. Ordinary people have filed many complaints with the police station protesting the land grabbing. There have been many trials and arbitrations. To no avail. Now they are absconding. However, ordinary leaders and activists have suffered losses. After the fall of the government on August 5, Habib and his brothers have been absconding. Although they tried to contact them in various ways, it was not possible.

Dhaka: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-9 and 2 have arrested the drug lord and armed group terrorist Bunia Sohel of the capital's Geneva Camp and his 14 associates.

They were arrested in joint operations in various places in Sylhet, Habiganj and Brahmanbaria on Thursday (October 31) and Friday (November 01).

The arrested are - Sohel alias Bunia Sohel (30), son of Abdus Salam of the Geneva Camp of the Mohammadpur Police Station area of DMP, Amir Hasan Hira (36), son of Sabbir Hossain of the same camp, Anwar Hossain (27), son of Selim Hossain (27), son of the deceased Muslim, Jamal Hossain (29), wife of Sohel Rana, Mosha. Shahinur (32), daughter of the deceased Elias of the Geneva Camp, Nuri Begum (30) and son Mithun (24), son of the deceased Lokman, Sahil (38), son of Nadim (24), Md. Nasim's son Md. Azim (37), Solaiman's daughter Banu Begum (50) and the late Akbar Ali's son Sabik Hasan (20), Nasim's son Amin (28), Iqbal (38), son of the late Idris Mia, and Md. Asif Mia (37), son of Paul Kasai, of Geneva Camp.

The matter was confirmed by Rapid Action Battalion(RAB)-9 Assistant Police Superintendent and Media Officer Md. Mashihur Rahman Sohel.

On Friday night, RAB-9 said that Sohel alias Bunia Sohel, the drug lord of the Geneva Camp in the capital's Mohammadpur, has introduced gang culture in the camp for a long time. For some time now, there has been a conflict between the two groups, 'Chua Selim' and 'Bunia Sohel', over drugs and dominance. After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, they looted a lot of weapons and ammunition from Mohammadpur and Adabor police stations and took them to the camp. They have been involved in several clashes recently. They have used these weapons, and are seen practicing with them. They have also been seen firing with looted weapons. Five people have been killed in the gunfights in two months. More than a hundred people have been injured. There are 18 cases against Bunia Sohel in various police stations in Dhaka for murder, murder, rape and other crimes.

Based on these allegations, RAB-9 and RAB-2 launched an operation. On Thursday (October 31), at 3:30 pm, a joint operation was conducted in various areas including Dariyapara of Kotwali Police Station in Sylhet city and drug lord Sohel alias Bunia Sohel, who was hiding in Sylhet, was arrested. During this time, they arrested 5 more associates.

On the same day, at around 4 pm, a team from RAB-9's Shaistaganj Camp conducted an operation in the Saiham Future Complex area of Madhabpur Police Station in Habiganj district and arrested 7 more associates of Bunia Sohel.

Later, on the basis of this incident, a team of RAB-9 conducted a raid in the Sadar area of Brahmanbaria at around 5:30 pm on Friday (November 1) and was able to arrest 3 more people.

In this regard, RAB-9 Assistant Superintendent of Police (Media Officer) Md. Mashihur Rahman Sohel said that the arrested accused have been handed over to RAB-2 for transfer to the concerned police station. In addition, RAB's intelligence activities and ongoing raids will continue to arrest other criminals.