This time, information has been found that the two daughters of the former IGP Benazir Ahmed, who are discussed with the fugitive Motajzerul Islam Mithu, the controversial contractor of the health sector, have set up a business. National team cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is also involved with this. Complaints have been received, about 30 acres of farmers’ land was seized and this business was established in Kishoreganj area of Nilphamari district under the name of ‘North’s Chicks Rangpur Limited’. And law enforcement officers are used to occupy and guard the land. A farmer was shot and some were injured in a clash with the police for preventing the encroachment of land. The same mobile and e-mail addresses were used in the names of seven of its partners to hide their involvement in building the company. However, 22 days ago, the officials locked the main gate of the institution and ran away as the issue of corruption and abuse of power by Benazir Ahmed came up in the media.
Locals say that because Benazir Ahmed and Shakib Al Hasan were associated with the influential Mithu, they could not open their mouths despite their suffering. Now they want back the forcibly occupied land. They demanded justice for the torture done on them.
According to the information and documents available in our time, a company named ‘North’s Chicks Rangpur Limited’ was established in the agricultural land of Uttar Chandkhana area of Kishoreganj Upazila of Nilphamari. There are seven partners in the company, which was built as a poultry industry. The chairman of the organization is Motajzerul Islam alias Mithu, who is involved in the corruption of hundreds of millions of taka in the health sector. His number of shares in the company is 2 lakh 90 thousand. Apart from this, director Jaglul Haider Chowdhury, partner cricketer Shakib Al Hasan, businessman Siddique Mahmud, Benazir Ahmed’s two daughters Farhin Rista bint Benazir and Tahsin Raisa bint Benazir each have 50 thousand shares. Suzanna Sharmin, another partner of the company, has 5,000 shares. The fire license of the company shows that the floor area of the building in which the company is built is one lakh 80 thousand square feet.
Locals said the company was established in 2013 as Norths Poultry Limited. Later in 2022 the name was changed to ‘North’s Chicks Rangpur Limited’. At the time of establishment, land was bought and expropriated at a nominal price through intimidation. In addition to encroachment of land, the environment is under extreme threat due to the dumping of chicken droppings in the open. The villagers suffered a lot.
The local representative of our time, Gopal Chandra Roy, was appointed as the manager (admin and HR) of the organization. Sirajul Haque said, the name of their organization is North Poultry. Kamrul Haque Manik is the owner of their company. No one named Mithu is involved in this. North Chicks Rangpur Limited claims that it is not their company. However, Sirajul Haque’s company visiting card, which has come to our time, states that he is the Manager (HR & Admin) of Norths Egg Limited and Norths Chicks Rangpur Limited, which are sister concerns of MI Group.
Attempts were made to contact Kamrul Haque Manik for a statement on the matter, but he could not be found. He did not pick up even when he called the private number.
ACC has already got the trace of huge land and assets in the name of Benazir Ahmed, his wife and children. ACC has so far found 621 bigha of land in Gopalganj and Madaripur, about three acres of land near Saint Martin’s Island and Inani beach in Cox’s Bazar, 19 company shares, 4 flats in Gulshan, savings certificates of Tk 30 lakh, 33 bank accounts and 3 BO accounts in share trading in the name of Benazir and his family. received These assets have been seized and frozen by court order. Apart from this, ACC is trying to collect information about Benazir’s assets outside the country.
Meanwhile, in 2022, Shakib Al Hasan’s name came up in BSEC’s investigation into the share manipulation of four companies. This cricket all-rounder has been in controversy several times before. He was banned for one year by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2019 for concealing the lure of a gambler. In August 2022, Shakib Al Hasan came into question due to his involvement with a media outlet affiliated with the betting site Betwinner. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) removed Shakib from brand ambassador due to controversy in various cases.
After Shakib Al Hasan, who has been in controversy several times in connection with betting sites, his sister’s name also comes up.
It is known that Motajjerul Islam Mithu is the son of Kachiruddin of Mohipur village of Gangachra upazila of Rangpur. He has at least 30 contracting companies in the name of US expatriate Mithu and in the name of relatives and friends. Mithu’s name came up as one of the money launderers from Bangladesh in the much-discussed Panama Pacers scandal that was revealed on May 9, 2016. Over the years, the ACC has launched several investigations against Mithu, but none of them have seen the light of day. Although the ACC has made many inquiries about the health sector, Mithu has always remained out of touch.
It is reported that the ‘Mithu Syndicate’ through at least 30 contractor institutions, Ministry of Health, Directorate of Health, Central Pharmacy (CMSD), Bureau of Health Education, Directorate of Family Planning, Department of Health Engineering, Administration of Medicine, Institute of Public Health, Directorate of Nursing, almost all Contracted T Medical College and Hospital. Apart from this, they also supply equipment to various district civil surgeon offices and general hospitals.
ACC filed a ‘non-submission’ case against Mithu on 10 May 2016. In the statement of the case filed at Banani police station in the capital, it is said that Motajzerul Islam was issued a notice to submit the statement of assets in 2013 after the fact of acquisition of known non-income assets of more than Tk 50 crore came out in the investigation of the ACC. But he did not submit the statement of assets within the stipulated time nor did he apply for extension of time.
Benjir went by helicopter with Mithu: Locals said that on July 15, 2016, the people of Charakband village of Chandkhana Union prevented North Poultry from building a boundary wall on the land occupied by fake documents. Police fired bullets and tear shells during the three-hour standoff. At least 25 people, including three police constables, were injured in the police-villager clash. Among the injured, Hafizar Rahman (55), Abdal Hossain (50), Kanu Bala (40), Ajifa Begum (45), Achia Begum (40), Fatema (50), Noor Banus (35) and others were treated at the hospital. Among them, Abdal Hossain, who was injured in police firing, was then admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Injured villager Hafizar Rahman then said that the owner of North Poultry Farm on his maternal uncle’s ancestral land showed fake documents to encroach and obstruct the construction of boundary wall. But the police came and ambushed and opened fire.
Locals said that the crime was done with the connivance of Benazir Ahmed. This former IGP came here with Mithu on a helicopter one day. 27/28 acres of land was occupied with the help of the administration at the behest of Benji and Mithu. The wall is removed within 15-20 days. Later some people were scared and registered at a low price. 40/50 bigha land is still in their possession without registration. The case is going on in the court. At present, there is a chicken farm, feed mill, fish farming in that institution. Then there were several fights in the last few years.
Chairman of Chandkhana Union of Nilphamari, Mostafizur Rahman Jadu said last night that his 4 crop lands have been seized. Many farmers have been affected. There was not much employment in the factory. There were some assigned lands. Like 20 bighas. Local farmers were cultivating. This was their livelihood. Occupiers take advantage of being assigned land. The regulations were not followed in the construction of the firm. As a result, there are many environmental problems around. There is a problem in education in schools and colleges. The local administration does not take any action in this regard. Land should be returned to deprived farmers. or to pay fair dues.