C T Online Desk: Following the ouster of the Awami League (AL) government, former whip and Chattogram-12 constituency lawmaker Shamsul Haque Chowdhury and his son Nazmul Karim Chowdhury Sharun have gone into hiding.
There is widespread speculation that the current government may launch legal actions against Shamsul, who was allegedly involved in controversial activities, including operating casinos, during the AL regime.
Locals claim that Shamsul as well as his family members are now in hiding, likely within Chattogram, in fear of arrest.
Shamsul, a three-time MP under the AL banner, suffered a significant defeat when he ran as an independent candidate in the 12th parliamentary elections held in January this year.
His fall from power was largely attributed to his involvement in corruption, irregularities, and illicit activities, which deeply troubled the local population.
During his time in office, Shamsul, along with his son Sharun and brother Mujibul Haque Chowdhury Nawab, were allegedly engaged in a wide range of criminal activities, including land grabbing, extortion, enforced disappearances, and even murder, local residents said.
His involvement in casino operations and illegal gambling brought additional notoriety. Shamsul openly supported these illegal activities in local sports clubs, and his criticism of the AL’s anti-casino operations left the party in an awkward position.
His controversial comments sparked public outrage and led to numerous protests, with locals even resorting to a “shoe march” in protest of his actions.
After Sheikh Hasina’s flee following the student uprising, Shamsul, who rose to power like Aladdin’s magic lamp, has now gone into hiding.
A 2019 Facebook post by police Inspector Mahmud Saiful Amin revealed details of Shamsul’s illicit earnings. According to the post, Shamsul generated approximately Tk5 lakh per day from Chattogram Abahani Club, amassing around Tk180 crore over five years through illegal gambling activities.
Former joint convener of Patiya upazila Jubo League, DM Zamir Uddin, recalled an incident where Shamsul defended the existence of casinos, arguing that clubs like Abahani, Mohammedan, and Muktijoddha could not survive without gambling revenue, as the government did not provide financial support to players. This defense of gambling further tarnished his reputation.
Nasir Uddin, former general secretary of the Patiya upazila Awami League, believes that figures like Shamsul severely damaged the party’s image. He lamented that the lack of action against corrupt individuals such as Shamsul contributed to the AL’s downfall.
A senior official of Chattogram Abahani Ltd, on condition of anonymity, said that Shamsul’s involvement with the club began in 1999-2000, but his leadership was marred by allegations of human trafficking during a trip to London, leading to his expulsion from the club.
Besides, in 2007, ahead of Chattogram Abahani’s participation in the Bangladesh League, an account was opened at Premier Bank following FIFA guidelines. However, Shamsul and another individual withdrew money without the then-president Didarul Alam’s knowledge, leading to the account’s suspension.
Didarul Alam, the founding general secretary of Chattogram Abahani, accused Shamsul of destroying the local sports sector by introducing gambling into the club operations, calling for the removal of such corrupt figures from the sports arena.
Mofizur Rahman, general secretary of the Chattogram South District Awami League, expressed frustration over the damage caused by the “hybrid leaders” like Shamsul, emphasising the need to remove them from the party to restore the its lost image.
