Youth Leader Summoned Over Security Operations

Faruk Hossain Bepari, convener of the Madaripur District unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) youth wing, has been issued a show-cause notice and summoned to explain his actions following his oversight of security drills and guard arrangements near the residence and business establishments of central Awami League Presidium member and former Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, as well as Khan’s brothers. The notice, issued amid fears of potential attacks, was publicly reported on Monday, 22 December, and has sparked widespread debate and criticism across local political circles.

The disciplinary directive, signed by Deputy Secretary Minhajul Islam Bhuiya on behalf of the central committee of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, states that Bepari, despite holding a senior district-level position, undertook activities contrary to organisational regulations. He has been instructed to appear before the Executive Committee’s President, Abdul Monayem Munna, and General Secretary, Mohammad Nurul Islam Noyon, within three days to explain his conduct.

Sources from the BNP suggested that the activities coincided with protests following the assassination of Osman Hadi. On 19–20 December, demonstrations, protest rallies, and symbolic funerals took place across Madaripur. Prior to these events, social media platforms and local groups circulated calls for sit-ins outside Shajahan Khan’s residence and his brothers’ commercial ventures, causing public concern. While Shajahan Khan and his son, Asibur Rahman Asib Khan, remain in prison, his brothers—though fugitives—continue to operate transport businesses, hotels, petrol stations, and other enterprises in Madaripur.

On Saturday, anticipating potential unrest, Bepari coordinated approximately fifty youth wing members, dividing them into groups to monitor five key locations, including Khan’s ten-storey residence near Chanmari Mosque and his brothers’ hotels, restaurants, and petrol stations. Images of the youth wing members at these sites circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism and allegations of unauthorised activity.

Bepari defended the deployment, stating that it followed instructions from central leadership to prevent nationwide unrest during the postponed parliamentary elections. He emphasised that the presence of youth wing members was intended to assist law enforcement and maintain public order, not to protect private property. “We did not guard Shajahan Khan’s residence or businesses,” he clarified. “Our role was to support authorities and prevent exploitation by third parties while demonstrating against Osman Hadi’s murder.”

Zafar Ali Mia, BNP district convener, confirmed that the central committee would investigate Bepari’s actions and take appropriate measures if irregularities were verified, noting that such activities could damage the party’s reputation.

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The episode underscores the delicate balance between political activism, public order, and organisational discipline within Bangladesh’s charged political landscape, highlighting ongoing tensions between local units and central leadership.