BNP lawmaker Fakhr Uddin faces show-cause notice over extortion and factional violence in Mymensingh
Central leadership of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has issued a show-cause notice to Fakhruddin Ahmed, the Member of Parliament for the Mymensingh-11 constituency, amid mounting allegations of factional violence, extortion, and illegal interference in local industrial operations. The notice, signed by Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on July 18, demands a formal explanation for conduct that party authorities claim constitutes a breach of organizational discipline.
The disciplinary action follows a series of complaints from local party activists and industrial entities. Sharif Hasan, a former leader of the Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal in Bhaluka, formally petitioned party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on June 14, alleging that Ahmed is attempting to consolidate absolute control over the region. According to the complaint, Ahmed’s supporters have systematically targeted and harassed veteran party members who oppose his influence, often utilizing fabricated criminal cases to suppress dissent.
Local sources indicate that the conflict is largely centered on the control of the "jhut" trade—the lucrative secondary market for textile waste and surplus fabric generated by the 145 active industrial plants in the Bhaluka region. Since the post-July uprising, control over these businesses has become a flashpoint for violence between the MP's loyalists and factions previously aligned with former BNP leader Morshed Alam, who was expelled from the party during the last parliamentary election cycle.
Reports of lawlessness have extended to major industrial players as well. On July 11, Envoy Textiles Limited sought police intervention after a delivery truck was seized by individuals allegedly linked to the MP. Company representatives reported that their construction projects were stalled due to forced interference in the supply chain. While local police managed to recover the vehicle, the incident highlighted a broader pattern of intimidation that has reportedly eroded public trust in local law enforcement.
Allegations of systematic harassment are further supported by statements from grassroots activists. Tiyas Mahmud, a former leader of the local Jatiotabadi Swechchasebak Dal, stated that his home was vandalized after he supported an independent candidate in the previous election. Despite filing complaints with the Deputy Inspector General’s office, activists claim that local police remain hesitant to register cases against the MP's associates.
In his defense, Fakhruddin Ahmed has categorically denied all allegations of wrongdoing, dismissing them as propaganda spread by individuals previously associated with the former regime. Asserting that he has no relatives or loyalists involved in local commerce, Ahmed characterized the accusations as a "malicious campaign" by a "vicious circle" attempting to destabilize his political standing. He confirmed that he has submitted his response to the party’s show-cause notice.
The central leadership’s intervention marks the second time in recent years that Ahmed has faced intense scrutiny from his own party. In September 2023, he was briefly expelled following allegations of attempting to occupy local business establishments, a move that prompted a criminal case filed by BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh. Saleh, currently serving as the administrator of the Mymensingh District Council, maintained that the party high command remains committed to a zero-tolerance policy regarding unethical or illegal conduct by its representatives.
