Just 10 years ago, Ishtiak barely made ends meet as a street hawker. It was his only means of providing for his family. His life changed when he entered the seedy world of the narcotics trade in Dhaka, a business that rakes in crores.
A former resident of Mohammadpur Geneva Camp, Ishtiak Ahmed is now a millionaire who drives expensive cars, thanks to the increasing demand of Yaba- a banned and deadly narcotic substance.
Ishtiak grew up in the Geneva camp area, and presently owns 10 homes in Mohammadpur, Uttara, Aminbazar, and Ashulia of Sava, in addition to hundreds of bighas of land. He claims to be in the transportation business.
In Hemayetpur and Ashulia of Savar, Ishtiak is known as “Danbir” Kamrul Islam. The title means “generous”.
Ishtiak grew up in poverty, and did menial jobs to support his family. Since 2007, after getting involved in the illegal narcotics trade, he has built up a fortune of around hundred crore taka.
After being listed as a godfather of yaba peddlers in the capital by the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Police, and intelligence agencies, Ishtiak went into hiding to evade the long arm of the law.
Empire built on drugs
According to sources from the DNC and law enforcement agencies, Ishtiak is a top-level yaba dealer.
Nicknamed “King of Yaba,” he formed his own syndicate comprised of his associates from the Geneva camp, Nadim Hossain alias Pochish, Selim alias Chua alias Chora Selim and manager Mollah Arshad.
The syndicate members are currently in hiding, but fully active in their illicit business.
Ishtiak supplies yaba to different areas of Dhaka, particularly in Mohammadpur, Gabtoli, Aminbazar, Beribadh, Hemayetpur, and Ashulia.
He evades arrest by moving undetected and carefully, always keeping his current location a secret. He monitors all his properties through CCTV systems.
Some locals alleged that the drug lord evaded arrest for so long by regularly making huge payments to police.
On May 26, the RAB arrested 153 suspects during an anti-narcotics drive at the Geneva Camp area in Mohammadpur, and seized Yaba tablets and marijuana during the raid.
But the law enforcers found no trace of Ishtiak or even his associates there.
RAB data reveals that a total of ten narcotic syndicates manage around 400 drug peddlers in Geneva Camp, and Ishtiak is the sole authority on the illegal yaba trade. He is also one of the leading yaba suppliers in Dhaka.
The illusive kingpin
The yaba kingpin is currently accused in 15 cases, filed with Mohammadpur police station on charges of murder and drug peddling. He was previously arrested in a case, but is presently out on bail.
Police sources confirmed that charge sheet has been submitted against him in three cases.
Mukul Jyoti Chakma, deputy director of DNC (Dhaka Metro), told the Dhaka Tribune: “Ishtiak is a top level yaba businessman. After receiving tip offs, three raids were conducted to arrest him so far, but he evaded the law enforcers each time.”
One of Ishtiak’s associates, Nadim alias “Pochish,” 31, sells yaba, heroin, marijuana, and other narcotics to the public.
Pochish was a boy working in a restaurant at Geneva Camp since his childhood. His daily salary at that time was Tk25.
When he started selling marijuana, he used to sell a pack at Tk25, equivalent to one day’s salary. For this reason, people started calling Nadim as “Pochish,” the Bangla word for 25. This highly dangerous business made Pochish a millionaire.
Pochish was arrested on November 3 in Geneva Camp, in a raid conducted by around 200 personnel belonging to RAB, police, BGB and Armed Police Battalion (APBN).
He got out on bail after 12 days, and is currently on the run from the law.
Commenting on the matter, Mohammadpur police station OC Jamal Uddin Mir said: “Drug dealers such as Ishtiak are listed criminals, and we conduct regular drives at the Geneva Camp area to arrest them.
“However, these culprits are clever. They evaded the police before each raid took place. We are making a serious effort to arrest them.”
The police have also launched an awareness program to alert people about the deadly drugs.
