No one opens their mouths because of the fear of ‘Shafiq Bahini’

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“Shafiq Dakat” has now become the name of fear in Brahmanbaria’s Nabinagar. There are more than a dozen cases against him on various charges including torture, rape, murder, attack on police-RAB, drug trade. Shafiq Bahini has formed in his own name to do these misdeeds. No one in the area dares to open their mouths because of the fear of these forces.

Last Monday, the ‘Shafiq Bahini’ came into the discussion again after attacking three members of the intelligence wing of RAB who went to collect information. But this is not the first time, the members of law and order forces have been attacked several times while arresting the people of ‘Shafiq Bahini’.

After Monday’s incident, RAB raided Khagatua village of Ratanpur union of the upazila and arrested five of Shafiq’s companions. On Tuesday night, Inspector Priyadarshi Chakma of RAB-9 filed a case in Nabinagar police station, naming 15-20 unknown people including Shafiq as the plaintiff. The affidavit in the case mentions the names of five accomplices arrested besides the eight accused. The five arrested persons were handed over to the Nabinagar police station on Tuesday night. They have been arrested in this case.

The five arrested are Abdul Quader (62) of Khagatua village of Ratanpur union of Nabinagar upazila, Md. Rahim (20), Abdur Rahman alias Apu Mia (18), Noor Alam (16) and their accomplice Chanowara Begum (48). The house of Shafiq Mia (55) alias Shafiq Dakat is also in the same village.

Deputy Inspector Mobarak Ali of Nabinagar Police Station, investigating officer of the case, told Prothom Alo, “I received the case today (Wednesday). Shafiq’s details have not yet been verified. It is difficult to say exactly how many cases there are without verification. However, I heard that Shafiq attacked the police more than once. I was not in this police station at that time. We have started an investigation.

Ratanpur Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Gholam Mostafa Maruf has alleged that people are fed up with Shafiq’s torture and torture for more than a century. He told Prothom Alo that there are two groups in the area. Common people are fed up with their pain. One is led by Ibrahim Nawaz and the other is led by Shafiq Mia. The issues are repeatedly discussed in the monthly meetings of the union. The matter has been reported to the administration several times; But don’t understand why they are not able to arrest Shafiq. Law enforcement forces have also failed here.

Pointing out that now he himself suffers from insecurity by talking about these issues, the UP Chairman further said, ‘Nobody in Khagatua village wants to talk and file a case because of his fear. Talking might kill you in the dark of the night.

‘Thief Shafiq’ to ‘Dakat Shafiq’

Multiple representatives of the area and two local people told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that the Shafiqs are four brothers. Shafiq used to commit petty thefts in the area. Then he got involved in crimes like murder, robbery, extortion, rape, drug trade. Gradually he became known as ‘Dakat Shafiq’. Now he has a group of 20-25 people in the area called ‘Shafiq Bahini’. Gradually his forces created a reign of fear in the village of Khagatua. Now he controls everything in the village including construction of houses and arbitration.

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On the morning of November 25, 2021, Jubo League activist Masud Mia (45), son of Mangal Mia of Khagatua village, was killed in Nabinagar upazila due to previous disputes and UP elections. The assailants killed him by hacking and inserting a rod into his anus. On the night of the incident, the brother of the victim was killed. Ibrahim Newaz filed a case against three to four anonymous persons with the names of 11 persons.

It has been found that one of his main associates, Abdul Halim (35), has been associated with Shafiq for 8-10 years. He is the president of Ratanpur Union Jubo League and a resident of Khagatua village of the same union. Six-seven cases of murder, robbery, extortion and injury to the police are pending against him in the police station.

On the night of December 9, 2023, the then Deputy Inspector (SI) Nabinagar Police Station Bachir Ahmed and Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ashraful Arif went to Khagatuaya village to arrest the accused Abdul Halim, who had an arrest warrant for multiple cases. Halim escaped by biting the two policemen on different parts of the body and ran away after a scuffle with the police. At that time, another case was registered against him for injuring a policeman.

On the evening of November 10, 2024, the then OC of Nabinagar Police Station. A team of 12 members of the police led by Humayun Kabir raided the house of absconding accused Abdul Halim alias Halim Mia in Khagatua village. While arresting him from his house and taking him to a van, the supporters of Halim suddenly attacked the police from behind and snatched him away. At that time Nabinagar Police Station OC Md. Halim bit Humayun Kabir’s left wrist and escaped. When he tried to arrest the then Sub-Inspector (SI) Nasir Uddin with his head. In this incident, the then SI Shamim filed a case against 250 unknown persons including 36 named as the plaintiff.

Two public representatives on condition of anonymity told Prothom Alo that Shafiq is so terrible and the situation has reached such a level that common people do not have the courage and language to speak about him. He attacked the police twice when he went to arrest him. Despite this, he did not have to face trial. RAB also succumbed to him. There is no crime Shafiq cannot do, including theft, robbery, murder, extortion, drug dealing.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police Md. Shafiq, there are 15 cases against Shafiq in various crimes including robbery, murder, torture of women and children, assault on police, rape, drug trade. Nuravi He told Prothom Alo, “Shafiq and his forces have spread influence and dominance in that area.” They go to anyone’s house whenever they want, vandalize and loot. No one can tell them anything. They have a team of 15-20 people. This is happening day after day. The condition of that village is such that no one tells their home address. Even if you ask the people next door, none of them know him. No one in the village wants to give correct information about Shafiq and Bahini.

Morshedul Alam Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Nabinagar police station, told Prothom Alo that Shafiq Miah is actually a marked robber and a bad-natured person. There are several cases against him. He is new to the police station. Necessary action will be taken regarding Shafiq.