DHAKA – A prominent Bangladesh ruling party politician with alleged linksto the capital’s underworld was arrested on Sunday in a sweeping anti-graftdrive championed by the prime minister, amid corruption accusations againsther government.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last month launched the crackdown, saying itwas necessary to prevent a repeat of the January 2007 coup by the powerfulmilitary, which said tackling corruption was one of its key goals.
The high-profile head of the Dhaka youth wing of Hasina’s Awami Leagueparty, Ismail Hossain Samrat, was arrested with one of his associates,Bangladesh’s elite security force said.
“Samrat was arrested over concrete charges,” the Rapid Action Battalionspokesman Mizanur Rahman Bhuiyan told AFP, but did not reveal what he wasaccused of.
“He has been linked with operating casinos in sports clubs in Dhaka,” asenior RAB officer told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Local media allege Samrat is an underworld kingpin who uses his politicalinfluence to run a network of illegal casinos and extortion rackets.
He is the most senior politician to be caught in the new graft dragnet,which has also nabbed 260 others — including at least three ruling partyofficials.
As part of the drive, security forces have also sealed off nearly a dozenillegal casinos in the capital.
Gambling is illegal in the conservative Muslim majority country, butgangsters are accused of introducing casino equipment such as gaming tablesin some well-known sports clubs.
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Immediately after his arrest, the youth wing of the ruling party expelledhim for anti-social activities and breaching party discipline.
The government banned him from travel last month.
Last month, Hasina sacked two senior members of the powerful student wingof her party after they were accused of extorting large sums from astate-run university.
Since coming to power for the second time in 2009, Hasina has run thecountry with an iron fist, cracking down on opposition parties and jailingher main rival Khaleda Zia, who has led Bangladesh twice.
Her government has also tried and executed top Islamist leaders over warcrimes.
But in recent months, opposition parties have accused Hasina’sadministration and ruling party of unbridled corruption and of extortingmoney from government projects and laundering billions to offshoreaccounts. -APP/AFP
