A lobbyist named Obaidul Islam Akash, who claimed himself as a journalist and human rights activist, was arrested at the Secretariat yesterday for his alleged involvement with fraudulence.
The Secretariat Security Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested him for making fake entry pass and taking bribe from Ismail Hossain, 52, a former master-roll employee at the Power Development Board (PDB).
Talking to reporters, Mashiur Rahman, additional deputy commissioner at the Secretariat Security Branch, said they had observed Akash’s activities for two days before arresting him.
“We were first alerted when Ismail entered the Secretariat using the pass issued from the Road Transport and Highways Division on September 28. We watched Ismail to find out the ring leader, and he led us to Akash. We started watching Akash on September 30 and arrested him after two days,” he said.
He said Akash is the leader of a gang of around 28 persons involved with such offences. He was later handed over to the Shahbagh police station yesterday.
Akash, who claimed to be the deputy director of International Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Society and a special correspondent at the Digital Bangladesh Protidin, had made a Tk1 lakh deal with Ismail to get him his old job at the PDB back, taking Tk2,000 in advance, said the assistant deputy commissioner.
Akash also claimed that the state minister of power, energy and mineral resources was his cousin. Moreover, he took the demi-official letter that Ismail had acquired from the textiles and jute minister, addressed to the state minister of power, energy and mineral resources, saying he could get Ismail the job without the letter.
During interrogation, Akash confessed that he was involved in fraudulent activities, had made a Tk1 lakh deal and taken Tk2,000 in advance.
