A Union Parishad (UP) member has been arrested with 198 yaba pills in Ghoraghat upazila of Dinajpur, police said.
Zakirul Islam, 39, was detained at around 9pm on Thursday, 15 October, in front of a tea stall at Kulanandapur Bazar in Bulakipur Union. He was subsequently shown arrested in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act.
Zakirul is a member of Ward No. 5 of Bulakipur Union Parishad and a resident of the Kulanandapur area.
According to police, officers received confidential information on Thursday night that drugs were being traded at Kulanandapur Bazar. Acting on the tip-off, a police team led by Sub-Inspector Raja Mia of Ghoraghat Police Station launched an operation in the area.
Several people reportedly fled after noticing the police presence. Officers detained Zakirul during the operation.
Police said a subsequent search revealed a plastic bag containing 198 yaba pills concealed in the folds of his lungi. According to the police, Zakirul had kept the pills in his possession for sale.
However, details about the source of the drugs, their intended destination and whether anyone else was involved in the alleged activity have not been disclosed. No statement from Zakirul regarding the allegations was available.
Following his detention, he was taken to Ghoraghat Police Station. Police subsequently filed a case against him under the Narcotics Control Act and formally showed him arrested in connection with the case.
Mahmud Hasan, officer-in-charge of Ghoraghat Police Station, confirmed that a case had been filed against Zakirul following the recovery of the yaba pills. He was scheduled to be produced before a court in Dinajpur on Friday afternoon.
The incident has drawn attention because the accused is an elected local government representative. However, the allegations against him have yet to be established through the judicial process. Further investigation is expected to clarify the circumstances surrounding the recovery of the drugs and whether others were involved.
