Controversy Erupts as Convicted Drug Offenders Appointed to Ranishankail Upazila Volunteer Party Committee

The Thakurgaon district unit of the Swechchhasebak Dal has appointed two leaders with prior convictions for drug consumption to key positions in the newly formed Ranishankail Upazila committee, sparking internal unrest and criticism among local party members.

The partial committee was announced on Friday in a letter signed by District Swechchhasebak Dal Convener Masudul Islam and Member Secretary Md. Kamruzzaman. Jahangir Alam was named president, while Monowar Hossain and Masud Rana were appointed as general secretary and vice-president, respectively. The committee has been directed to finalize a full-fledged lineup within 15 days.

The appointments have drawn scrutiny due to the criminal records of both Hossain and Rana. On October 12, 2022, local police and intelligence units conducted a raid near the Patgaon Primary School, where 182 yaba tablets were recovered. During the operation, Hossain and Rana were arrested alongside another individual while consuming cannabis. A mobile court subsequently sentenced all three men to five days of rigorous imprisonment and imposed fines.

Following the incident, the district committee had initially suspended both leaders. While Rana could not be reached for comment, General Secretary Monowar Hossain denied the allegations. Hossain claimed they were framed by activists from the Chhatra League during party operations and maintained that a subsequent internal investigation cleared them of drug-related involvement, leading to their reinstatement two months after the sentencing.

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The decision to place these individuals in leadership roles has been met with vocal opposition from party grassroots. Palash Chowdhury, a former president of the Ranishankail Municipal Chhatra Dal and a candidate for the upazila presidency, expressed his frustration, stating that the party is currently being operated by individuals facing criminal accusations.

Hasim Reza, an aspirant for the organizational secretary position, criticized the move as a breach of the party’s declared zero-tolerance policy toward misconduct. He argued that the appointment of convicted individuals severely damages the organization’s public image.

Defending the appointments, District Convener Masudul Islam stated that the decision was made out of necessity to ensure the effective management of party affairs. He claimed that the district committee selected these individuals because no other suitable candidates were available, adding that the past allegations against them are no longer considered an issue by the leadership.