Man injured in anti-drug drive near Geneva Camp

A 30-year-old man was beaten and injured during an anti-drug drive near Geneva Camp in Dhaka’s Mohammadpur last night (18 October), with an internal police report indicating that people from the office of Dhaka-13 MP Bobby Hajjaj led the raid.

The report said Md Arif Hossain, a suspected drug user, sustained a head injury during the drive, which reportedly took place around 11pm.

Inthishar Mashuk Pradhan, the lawmaker’s executive assistant, reportedly led the drive, according to police and locals.

The internal report from Mohammadpur Police Station said people from the MP’s office conducted the anti-drug drive at Geneva Camp and Arif was assaulted on the footpath beside the Dhaka Residential Model College boundary wall at the time.

He was later taken to a police vehicle near the College Gate bus stand. Police took him to the emergency department of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital for medical treatment before taking him to the police station.

The report said Arif received four stitches to his head and that legal proceedings against him were under way.

However, Inthishar denied participating in the drive, saying no such operation had been conducted by the MP’s office yesterday.

He said a local organisation called “Nagorik Unnati” frequently conducts similar drives in the area in the name of civic improvement.

However, Mohammad Ahmed, president of Nagorik Unnati, denied that his organisation was involved in yesterday’s incident.

“Our organisation did not conduct any drive on Sunday. When we conduct drives, we do not beat anyone. We try to persuade people to turn away from addiction by explaining things to them and giving them various gifts. The person who spoke about us provided false information,” he told The Business Standard.

Local sources, however, said Inthishar, along with four to five others, had participated in the drive allegedly conducted by Bobby’s office.

An officer of Mohammadpur Police Station, speaking on condition of anonymity, said police had not arrested Arif. Police were called after he sustained the head injury and he was put in the police vehicle.

The officer added that Arif had been sent for a dope test to determine whether he was a drug user.

TBS attempted to contact Bobby, who is also the state minister for primary and mass education, for comment. After failing to reach him by phone, written questions were sent via WhatsApp, but no response had been received by the time this report was filed.

A member of the lawmaker’s media cell, who declined to be named, said the allegation that Inthishar led the drive was false and added that they were unaware of any such incident.

After being informed that the police report contained details of the incident, the media cell member requested TBS to send a copy.

The incident and allegations come amid controversy over an anti-drug drive conducted by Dhaka-6 MP Ishraque Hossain in Gandaria on Saturday, during which he was seen openly carrying a gun.

Amid widespread criticism of his conduct, Ishraque resigned as the state minister for liberation war affairs today (19 October).