For aficionados of traditional wrestling, the prestigious Jabbar-er Boli Khela (Jabbar’s Wrestling) has been synonymous with Didar Boli for over 15 years.
With 15 solo championships and three co-championships under his belt, Didarul Alam alias Didar Boli is undisputedly the greatest in the history of Jabbar-er Boli Khela. But a July 2018 arrest involving illegal yaba tablets is threatening his career and legacy.
He was imprisoned for 11 days and his fans turned against him, calling for local wrestling promoters to blacklist him. Didar claimed that he was robbed and the criminals planted the drugs on him and his two friends, and then tipped off the police to misdirect from the robbery.
Although retired from Jabbar-er Boli Khela after his 2017 victory, Didar has continued wrestling in other local promotions. However, the organisers of DC Shaheber Boli Khela have left him out of this year's tournament, citing public outrage and pressure.
At a press conference on April 22, Didar claimed he was the victim of a deep-rooted conspiracy.
In his words: “I went to Mymensingh on June 28, 2018 with three friends. A group of people tried to hijack our car but got caught. They slipped yaba tablets into our belongings and set us up for the police. Although I was in jail for 11 days, the police let me go. But there is a family of journalists in Chittagong that has been butting heads with me over various local affairs. They blew the Mymensingh incident out of proportion and ruined my reputation. And now, I am accused of selling drugs!
“I am a victim, I want to wrestle. I have never taken yaba, I was never, ever, involved in any drug trade. I was set up. Please look into the accusations. If there is proof, take me to the gallows. But please, do not damn my reputation over baseless news reports.”
A narcotics case has been filed against Didar with Ramu police station, providing reasonable grounds for wrestling promoters to drop the local legend from the latest tournament.
An April 17, a meeting to finalize the DC Shaheber Boli Khela saw a member propose dropping Didar as he is charged with drug possession and trafficking. The proposal was approved by Deputy Commissioner Md Kamal Hossain.
Even though Didar received tremendous backlash after he was arrested, he did not speak out back then. He only went public when he learned he could not wrestle again.