Staff Reporter :
The family of Azad Hossain, under immense pressure due to their involvement in opposition politics, finds their lives shrouded in darkness.
Azad, now a fugitive due to politically motivated false charges, has left his family homeless.
This ordeal has befallen the family of Azad Hossain, the Senior Vice-President of Juba Dal in Ward No. 17 and the President of Chhatra Dal in the same ward in Kuril, Dhaka.
Actively participating in the anti-government movement, Azad faces at least 7-8 cases of sabotage.
As a consequence of Azad’s opposition politics, his family was evicted from their home in Kuril.
Now, the rent from that house is being collected by a local leader of the ruling party.
The scene outside Bhatara police station on Wednesday was a small but poignant testament to the relentless struggles faced by ordinary citizens caught in the crosshairs of political vendettas.
A crowd had gathered around a distraught 60-year-old woman clutching a file of documents, her tears underscoring a tale of dispossession and despair.
The woman, Kulsum Akhter, had come to the station seeking legal recourse after being forcibly evicted from her home.
The culprits, she alleged, were influential local figures who had acted with impunity. Her plea for justice had brought her to the police station, where she awaited permission to lodge her complaint.
Kulsum’s plight is deeply intertwined with the political activities of her son, Azad Hossain.
“This is not the first time we’ve faced such cruelty,” Kulsum recounted, her voice breaking.
“In 2014, miscreants set fire to a motorcycle parked under our house.
There have been at least four attacks on Azad, but despite filing numerous complaints, no justice has been served.”
Attempts to obtain a statement from Bhatara police station were futile.
The duty officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, cited multiple arrest warrants against Azad for sabotage-related charges.
“We’ve conducted several raids to apprehend him, but he has managed to evade capture each time,” the officer said.
A visit to Kulsum’s residence at 169/A/1 in Kuril revealed a disheartening sight.
Tenants there confirmed that the property had been sold to a local internet businessman named Arman Hossain.
However, long-time residents were adamant that Kulsum and her five sons were the rightful owners until their forced eviction.
“Political reasons have made them homeless,” said one neighbor, who requested anonymity out of fear of reprisal.
The political climate has only worsened for the family, with Kulsum’s nephew, Jisan, being killed in 2018 during a clash with the ruling party leaders. Despite a case being filed, the accused remain at large.
Efforts to reach Ward No. 17 Councilor Ishaq Miah for comment were unsuccessful as he abruptly ended the phone call.