Lawmaker’s son detained over industrial extortion allegations in Narayanganj

Photo Collected

A+ A A-

Khairul Islam, a senior joint convener of the Narayanganj District Juba Dal and son of local Member of Parliament Azharul Islam, was taken into custody by police on Sunday following allegations of large-scale extortion involving a major industrial conglomerate. The detention was executed under the directives of high-level government authorities.

Initial reports indicate that Khairul was first brought to the Narayanganj Detective Branch (DB) office for questioning before being transferred to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) headquarters for further interrogation. According to police headquarters, the arrest follows persistent accusations that the politician’s son leveraged his father’s influence to target businesses in the Sonargaon, Siddhirganj, and Kanchpur regions.

Industry sources allege that Khairul frequently demanded illicit payments from factory owners in the area. In instances where his financial demands were not met, he allegedly obstructed the movement of commercial vehicles transporting goods. One specific incident involved the detention of a major industrial group’s vehicle, which was only released following intervention from the highest levels of government. Beyond direct extortion, Khairul faced widespread allegations of orchestrating land grabs and exerting control over the local “jhut” (garment waste) trade.

Chattogram police officer stabbed while attempting to arrest drug suspect

Read More

In response to the arrest, the central committee of the Juba Dal moved swiftly to distance the organization from the allegations. In a statement signed by the party’s vice president, Nurul Islam Sohel, the organization announced Khairul’s expulsion, citing “clear and substantiated complaints” regarding his involvement in various irregularities and unlawful activities.

Additional Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DB) Shafiqul Islam confirmed that Khairul is currently undergoing intensive questioning to verify the multiple criminal complaints lodged against him. While Narayanganj Additional Superintendent of Police Tareq Al Mehdi confirmed that the suspect had been transferred to the custody of the DMP after preliminary processing at the district superintendent’s office, authorities have refrained from providing further public comment as the investigation continues.