Zahirul Islam, vice-president of Mymensingh North District Chhatra Dal and joint convener of Gauripur Upazila Chhatra Dal, was temporarily suspended from his organisational responsibilities following the circulation of the video clip.
The decision was announced in a notice issued on Friday night, 16 October. The notice was signed by Md Saddam Hossain Talukder, office secretary of Mymensingh North District Chhatra Dal.
According to Nuruzzaman Sohel, president of Mymensingh North District Chhatra Dal, the organisation had received a video clip allegedly showing Zahirul consuming a substance resembling an illegal drug. The district leadership decided to suspend him temporarily on the basis of the initial allegations, while the footage and the circumstances surrounding it are being checked.
Sohel said Zahirul had denied wrongdoing and indicated that he intended to pursue legal action. He added that the organisation was reviewing the video and the allegations before deciding what steps to take next.
The temporary suspension does not amount to a final finding that the allegations are true. The district leadership has said that the matter remains under examination and that any subsequent organisational decision will be taken after the review.
Zahirul is from Dhopa Jangalia village in Sahanati Union, Gauripur Upazila, in Mymensingh district. He is the son of Abul Kashem and held positions at both district and upazila levels within Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The video reportedly came to the attention of district leaders after it began circulating on social media. Its spread prompted the organisation to consider the allegations and take the interim disciplinary measure. However, no detailed information has been made public about when or where the footage was recorded, what substance it allegedly depicts, or the circumstances in which it was obtained.
Attempts to obtain Zahirul’s comments were unsuccessful, as he did not answer his mobile phone when contacted. His denial, as relayed by the district Chhatra Dal president, is therefore the only response attributed to him in the initial account.
The next stage will depend on the organisation’s assessment of the available material and any further information it obtains. No final investigative findings or additional disciplinary decisions had been announced at the time of reporting.
The case highlights the organisational consequences that can follow allegations involving footage circulated online. However, the authenticity and context of such material need to be established before definitive conclusions can be drawn. For now, Zahirul remains temporarily relieved of his positions while Mymensingh North District Chhatra Dal reviews the matter.
