Syed Shemul Parvez :
Following the fall of the Awami League (AL) government due to the recent student uprising, several high-ranking officials, including ministers, members of parliament (MPs), and party leaders, have gone into hiding to evade public anger and potential arrests.
Many have managed to flee the country by secretly crossing the border, with allegations surfacing that some were caught in the act, while others succeeded through the assistance of brokers and corrupt officials.
Reports suggest that more than 1,000 AL leaders and activists, including MPs and ministers, have fled Bangladesh, using border crossings despite the strict surveillance of law enforcement.
These leaders reportedly paid large sums of money to brokers who helped them escape, sometimes with the aid of local leaders from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and elements within the administration.
Popular escape routes include border points in Sylhet, Netrakona, Thakurgaon, and Mymensingh.
Many of the fugitives have been sighted in Kolkata, India, frequenting shopping malls, parks, coffee shops, and other public venues.
Allegations also implicate Comilla BNP Convener Udratul Bari Abu in facilitating these escapes, particularly through the Comilla border.
He reportedly helped numerous Awami League leaders flee to India in exchange for large sums of money.
Abu is accused of assisting not only local leaders from Comilla but also prominent figures from nearby districts such as Feni, Lakshmipur, and Narayanganj.
It is estimated that billions of taka were exchanged for these “safe exits.” Locals claim that Abu maintained a close relationship with Comilla’s former mayor, Tahsin Baha Suchana, during her time in office.
Abu allegedly controlled contracts and tenders in the city under Suchana’s mayoral term, and after the political shift on
August 5, he reportedly leveraged his connections to help Suchana escape, in exchange for Tk 10 crore in the process.
In an attempt to reach BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi for comment on the issue, he was unavailable for response.
Sources reveal that after Sheikh Hasina left the country, several Awami League ministers, MPs, central leaders, and senior police officers were taken into custody. Many were charged with murder while in detention.
However, most were later released on recognizance, either on their own or at the request of their families.
A few days after their release, some were reportedly seen in West Bengal, India. Several individuals were caught attempting to escape across the border, and in some cases, there have been fatalities during these escape attempts.
Recently, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and other Awami League ministers were spotted in India, sparking widespread controversy.
A source at police headquarters disclosed that most of the former ministers, except a few, have chosen to flee the country via the Indian border, using it as a gateway to other destinations.
Numerous gangs have formed at various border points to facilitate these escapes, exploiting the situation to extort large sums of money from these individuals.
In response, police headquarters has provided a list of high-profile individuals who are at risk of fleeing to law enforcement agencies in border districts. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has also intensified patrols to prevent further escapes.
Acknowledging the BGB’s role in preventing Awami League leaders and activists from fleeing, Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, Director General (DG) of BGB, stated, ‘While we bear partial responsibility, the agency alone should not be held accountable for the situation.’
He made these remarks during a press conference at the BGB Headquarters in Dhaka on Thursday.
The DG further noted that the BGB has so far apprehended 22 individuals identified as opponents of the anti-discrimination student movement. ‘Despite these arrests, a significant number of Awami League leaders and activists have still managed to cross the borders,’ he admitted.
Major General Siddiqui emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to identify which border points were breached and who is responsible. ‘There can be no compromises on this matter,’ he insisted.
Meanwhile, BGB 60 Battalion Commander AM Jaber Bin Jabbar stated that the BGB is on high alert to prevent illegal crossings into India.
Similarly, Superintendent of Police in Brahmanbaria, Mohammad Jabedur Rahman, confirmed that they are closely tracking suspects using technology, based on a list of individuals at risk of fleeing.
It is noteworthy that following widespread rumors regarding the whereabouts of Awami League political leaders, police officers, and other beneficiaries of the previous government, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Department issued a circular on August 18.
The circular stated that after Sheikh Hasina’s fall, 626 individuals, including political figures, judges, and police officers, sought refuge in cantonments to save their lives. Of these, 615 have since left the cantonments of their own accord.
Currently, seven individuals remain in the cantonments, while four others have been handed over to law enforcement agencies as part of the legal process concerning the charges or cases against them.
Meanwhile, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that several Awami League leaders and high-ranking officials of law enforcement agencies fled the country within three days of the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
The departures occurred on 5, 6, and 7 August, shortly after the fall of the administration, he said while addressing a press briefing at the APBn headquarters in Dhaka on Saturday.
“Many Awami League leaders and senior officers managed to flee abroad during those initial days, but it has now become much more difficult as surveillance has been tightened,” he added