The impoverishment of paupers facing the threat of extinction in the district creates a platform for Jamaat-e-Islami and their financial institutions to play the role of Samaritans, bringing the helpless under the party’s umbrella.
Part of the district’s ultra-poor population, originally river erosion victims from neighbouring Gaibandha, Mymensingh and Netrakona, are the beneficiaries of this aid.
The dedicated Jamaat leadership arrange livelihood for the downtrodden by managing loans from the Islami Bank in Nilphamari.
While investigating, this correspondent found that the poverty-ridden people were sponsored on generous terms by the commercial bank, and an intermediary of the party arranges the financial help.
The intermediary is none but the Polashbari upazila Jamaat Amir Prof Abu Helal of Chanderhat College.
Prof Helal manages funds for local Jamaat-Shibir activists.
The Jamaat leader is operating several rice mills and a big ceramic shop named Sanita Ceramic through different owners.
A portion of the profits is donated by the owners, going to the party at the local level.
Within a 20-kilometre distance, the bank has established two big branches to serve Jamaat-accredited borrowers.
Of the two branches, one is situated at Sayedpur, which is the commercial zone of Nilphamari, while another is in the district headquarters.
If one went to the bank with a reference from Jamaat men, one can take out a loan very easily, said a source.
Anowar Hossain, the manager of Islami Bank of Nilphamari district, told the Dhaka Tribune they were financing over 6,000 small and big businesses across the district since 2000.
Some of their loans are in excess of Tk1cr. Asked about political references for such loans, he said: “Actually, we look at the type of business and other aspects of the loan applications.”
The manager denied the claim that a political reference was key to taking out a loan for the impoverished population.
To delve into the bank’s sponsorship for business, this correspondent posed as a would-be businessman seeking financial support to start a new business and asked a drugstore owner Amiruzzaman in the district’s Boro Bazar area how to take out a loan.
Amiruzzaman said: “There are many opportunities and you could also get a loan from the bank if you really want to establish a business in the district.”
“But you have to wait till the political situation turns normal because those who would manage a loan for you are on the run,” he said.
The drugstore owner added: “An educated person like you would easily get support from the bank, as I did.”
The Dhaka Tribune investigation found that “Moonlight” – the district’s biggest drugstore located at Chourangi intersection – was owned by a Jamaat man.
Besides, a large tobacco business was established in Ramganj area from where tobacco companies bought raw materials and a portion of the profits went to a Jamaat fund.
Hazi Faruk, owner of Sanita Ceramic and Rokon (a party position) of Jamaat-e-Islami, said they made generous donations to several social programmes organised by different organisations.
Jamaat upazila Amir Prof Abu Helal said his party believed in peaceful politics and claimed it was not involved in any kind of sabotage.
About financing for local politics, he said: “We obtain funds from donations and business activities.”
However, police show a lack of interest in how the party got funding.
Mohammad Zubayedur Rahman, the police super of Nilphamari, told the Dhaka Tribune that Jamaat-Shibir activists get their financing as they do in other districts.
“We have no information about how they get their funds. We are just trying to trace and arrest those involved in committing sabotage,” the police official said.