Sub-Inspector Masud Sikder, who recently made headlines for allegedly assaulting and threatening a central bank official in Dhaka, is known as a crook, drug lord, extortionist and pimp in his locality.
Locals claimed Masud’s activities in his village home of Soyaitpur in Mymensingh’s Fulbaria centred around his ambition to become the Eneyetpur union parishad chairman in future.
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His misuse of power has turned him into a local terror. “SI Masud,” one of the locals said, “was born into a poor family. But he became rich very quickly after joining police thanks to drug peddling, extortion and pimping.”
Police sources said Masud had misused power in the past for which he was warned and suspended. He was accused of corruption and extortion and threatening to kill people. But he managed to stay in his job.
Masud joined police as a constable in 1997. Locals said he got the job not because he was qualified but because his family supported the Awami League. His father-in-law, one Ansar Ali, was the alleged leader of a local robber gang.
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Everyone the Dhaka Tribune spoke to declined to be named fearing for their safety. According to them, Masud’s swanky lifestyle earned him a fan following in the area that helped him form his own gang – ‘Masud Bahini’. He was not directly involved in local politics but used his gang to do his bidding.
The policeman could not be contacted while his family and relatives declined comments for this article.
Locals claimed Masud used three of his purported gang members – Sohel, Sabuj and Julhas – to extort money in Dhaka. The local Chhatra League unit expelled the trio, saying they had found evidence of their complicity in crimes.
His ancestral home is in Soyaitpur, some 20km away from Fulbaria municipality, where his father Siraj Ali Sikder had a small tin-shed hut, which according to locals, was his only asset. But things changed soon after Masud joined police.
He now owns a house in Soyaitpur bazar which he uses as a base for running his illegal affairs, locals alleged. They claimed Masud ran his pimping business through his tenant and whenever he visited the place, he would indulge in drugs with his gang.
Fulbaria police station’s Officer-in-Charge Rifat Khan Rajib denied having any knowledge about Masud’s alleged involvement in illegal business. He said he had heard that Masud was on good terms with local youths.
Locals said Masud’s two younger brothers were involved in drug peddling and other crimes. His younger brother Shahid Sikder allegedly oversaw the drug business while the youngest, Habib Sikder, was involved in criminal activities and a racket run by Masud in the capital – although the family insisted Habib was working in the Maldives.
Shahid had reportedly told locals that his brother was suspended as the incident was reported in the media but he would be cleared of the charges once the dust settled.
Masud, born in 1978, completed his SSC from Ghunarchala High School in 1993 and HSC from Bangladesh Open University after joining police. He was transferred to Narshingdi in 2000 where he was accused of corruption, police sources said.
He was promoted to an assistant sub-inspector in 2007 and posted at the Dhanmondi police station. He was deputed to RAB-7 in February 2012. Two years later, Masud was promoted to a sub-inspector and posted at Mohammadpur.
Last week, Masud allegedly threatened to kill Bangladesh Bank official Golam Rabbi and demanded Tk5 lakh as ransom from him. Rabbi claimed the SI had also snatched his wallet. Masud was suspended yesterday.
Detective Branch Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam told reporters that SI Masud was suspended based on findings of the primary investigation.
