Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has begun a raid at Samrat's Dhaka South Jubo League office in Dhaka's Kakrail.
The elite force brought him back to Dhaka RAB headquaters from Comilla around noon on Sunday, and cordoned off his Kakrail office.
RAB's special forces got into his office around 1:15pm, before beginning a raid there around 1:40pm.
RAB Director (legal and media wing) Lt Colonel Sarwar Din Quasem , along with Samrat, were present during the raid led by RAB Executive Magistrate Sarwoer Alam .
RAB 2 and RAB 3 also started separate raids at Samrat's Mohakhali DOHS and Shantinagar residences respectively.
RAB officials during a raid at Samrat's Dhaka South Jubo League office in Dhaka's Kakrail on Sunday, October 6, 2019 Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka TribuneHe and his accomplice Arman were arrested from Chauddagram upazila of Comilla around 5am the same day.
Dhaka South Jubo League President Ismail Chowdhury Samrat and his accomplice Arman have also been expelled from the party for allegedly breaching party discipline and unethical practices.
Samrat went into hiding after being suspected of running illegal casinos. He has been banned from leaving the country, according to the police.
The involvement of Jubo League leaders in overseeing illicit gambling operations came to light after the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) uncovered illegal casino business in raids on Young Men's Club, Wanderers Club and MuktijoddhaKrira Chakra on September 18.
The elite police unit arrested Khalid Mahmud, organising secretary of Jubo League's Dhaka south unit, the same day before nabbing Kalabagan Krira Chakra President and Krishak League leader Shafiqul Alam Firoz.
Two days later, Jubo League leader and businessman GK Shamim, was arrested for money laundering, illegal possession of arms, and narcotics.
RAB officials with the seized things from Dhaka South Jubo League President Ismail Chowdhury Samrat's office at Kakrail in Dhaka on Sunday, October 6, 2019 Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
Raids by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police later on the Mohammedan Sporting Club, Dilkhusha Sporting Club, Victoria Sporting Club and Arambagh Sporting Club also uncovered similar gambling operations.
On Thursday September 27, RAB arrested Mohammedan’s Director-in-Charge Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan and charged him with money laundering over his proceedings from the decades-old club.
Meanwhile, rumours have been rife since Friday that Samrat, the alleged kingpin of Dhaka casinos, could be arrested any time.
Since September 18, RAB and police have raided different clubs across Bangladesh, busting illegal casinos. A number of people, including Jubo league leaders, were detained and then showed arrested after the raids.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal recently said Samrat will be brought to justice if evidence surfaces that he committed a crime.
