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Tuesday | September 29, 2026 | Dhaka

Powerful lobby shows its teeth!

 New Nation
 Published: 12:00 AM, 30 November 2015

Badrul Ahsan :
Powerful ministers and central leaders of the ruling Awami League (AL) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Annisul Huq are at loggerhead over DNCC eviction drive of a truck terminal at Tejgaon Industrial area, sources said.
Newly elected DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq while attending in a pre-declared eviction drive of an illegal establishments at truck terminal faced serious resistance from so called truck workers allegedly having support from a powerful quarter of government.
The protesters kept confined Mayor Annisul Huq for couple of hours in a trade union’s office located in the area and at a time succeeded to escape the scene along with Railways Minister Mujibul Huq and others.
According to locals, multi-million taka worth drug trading, prostitution and some other illegal activities take place in the area every day. The said vested quarter is also beneficiaries of the illegal activities.
Shipping minister Shajahan Khan, Dhaka City AL general secretary and minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya (Bir Bikram) were reportedly the top of the alleged supporter of the protesters.
They said these powerful quarter control the entire illegal activities in Dhaka city. ‘It is not unknown to any one. This is why neither the shipping minister nor any of his juniors attended the scheduled eviction programme.”
According to DNCC, Public Relations Division (PRD), Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, Railway Minister Mujibul Haque and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal were scheduled to attend the eviction programme.
But Shahjahan Khan and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal were absent at the eviction programme.
“Annisul Huq will never be able to remove us. We are more powerful than him,” a protester told The New Nation preferring anonymity.
While questioned, the ‘powerful’ protester said they earn their livelihood by running different types of businesses. “We do not know whether it is legal or illegal. We only know that we have to earn money for survival,” he added.
However, the DNCC mayor, although did not directly raise finger to the powerful ministers and other central leaders of AL, he acknowledged the involvement of some powerful persons with the violent protest. “I do not know who is giving support to the protesters, but it is clear that some one is behind the seen. You find them out,” Annisul Huq told The New Nation on Sunday.
Replying to a question, the DNCC mayor expressed his ignorance over the absence of Shahjahan Khan during the eviction.
Sayeed Khokon, Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), said none should provide support to illegal occupants for the greater interest of the city dwellers.
“I support the eviction but it is also true that the authority should take steps to rehabilitate the illegal occupients before deportation,” he added. Meanwhile, Asaduzzaman Khan Ripon, spokesman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has also accused ‘a powerful minister and his associates’ for patronizing such illegal trades across the country.
“We all know a powerful minister who provides all sort of support to illegal drug trading and some other anti-social activities. He and his associates control the syndicates across the country for monetary gain. They patronise these gang stars to make illegal money and face opposition parties,” he added.
However, none or the accused could be contracted for comment on the allegation against them.