Md Jahangir Alam, a councillor of Ward 37 under the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), is facing allegations of land grabbing, extortion and other forms of corruption.
It is alleged that Janangir made crores of taka in a short period of time during the immediate past Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government through illegal means.
He has huge wealth in his name earned through extortion and drug peddling. Apart from that, he has bought illegal wealth in his father’s and brother’s names, sources alleged.
If anybody wants to build a house or set up a business in his Badda area of the capital, he has to pay illegal toll to him for starting the construction work, the sources said.
Jahangir’s criminal history dates back to 2005-2006 when he fled to the US following the cases filed against him for extortion, murder and other crimes. During his stay in the US, he worked as a taxi driver, but was deported in 2007 for his criminal activities there.
On his return from the US, Jahangir remained unemployed for some time. He got involved in illegal activities again after coming close to then ward commissioner MA Qayum in Badda.
Between 2008 and 2021, Jahangir and his brother Gher Alamgir unleashed a reign of terror in Badda area. Numerous cases including that of murder and extortion, were filed against them with Badda police station.
Despite facing the cases, Jahangir and his brother became so powerful in 2022-2023 period that none dared to speak against them.
In 2005, Jahangir also cast his greedy look on some people who were allocated RAJUK plots in Badda rehabilitation area in the capital. With the help of then commissioner MA Qayum, Jahangir allegedly took control of around 50 plots in the names of his family members, including his father Hasan Uddin.
Jahangir is accused of illegally occupying 50 to 60 plots from Road No. 1 to Road No. 4 in Badda rehabilitation area, where he constructed a fish market and collected Tk 5-7 lakh daily from the market.
Besides, he collected illegal toll from all households in Ward 37 as garbage collection fees, employing a teenage gang posing them as city corporation cleaners.
Jahangir and his brother would extort money through threats over phone in Badda and Aftabnagar area. They control all criminal activities in the area, making it impossible to carry out construction work in Badda without paying them toll.
Besides, Jahangir and his brother-in-law Shimul managed to get RAJUK contractor licenses through which he carry out road repair work in Badda rehabilitation area. They allegedly extorted Tk 50,000 to 1,00000 lakh from house owners for road construction and repair. But they used city corporation funds to carry out the work.
Jahangir and his father Hasan Uddin are involved in all sorts of arbitration in the area, and Jahangir recently purchased Bitcoin worth Tk 10 crore and sent the money abroad.
Sources claim that Alamgir has a second home in Malaysia, where he has invested money laundered from Bangladesh through the then commissioner MA Qayum.
Jahangir and his brother travel in personal vehicles displaying human rights and press stickers, making it difficult for the police to stop their vehicles for searching.
In 2011, law enforcers raided their home to arrest the two brothers. During the drive led by Major Debashish, the due allegedly opened fire, leaving Debashish injured.
Members of their families went into hiding after the incident. He tried to cover up their illegal activities by spending a large amount of money through Sarwar, the nephew of then home minister Sahara Khatun.
During a visit to his Badda area on August 10, this correspondent found that a signboard bearing Jahangir's father's name is still there. However, the Ward 37 Councillor’s office near his house was locked. Newly appointed guard of his house Rahim Mia said the office has remained closed since August 5 after the fall of the Awami League government.
Rahim also said that local people attacked Jahangir’s office and residence, looted belongings, and forced the family to flee. The police later sealed off his house.
It was found that illegal toll is still being collected from the fish market in the name of Jahangir.
A businessman, preferring anonymity, said that Jahangir takes Tk 3 to 5 lakh in advance from each shop of the fish market. He is collecting Tk 5,200 per shop weekly.
