Thakurgaon Jamaat ameer held with Tk74 lakh at Saidpur Airport, not Tk50 as initially reported

Belal Uddin, the ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami's Thakurgaon district unit, has been detained with Tk74 lakh in cash at Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari, just a day before the 13th national election and referendum.

It was initially reported that he had been detained with Tk50 lakh. The amount turned out to be Tk74 lakh after the counting of the cash, confirmed Saidpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rezaul Karim, adding that legal proceedings are ongoing.

Nilphamari Superintendent of Police Sheikh Zahidul Islam confirmed that Belal was held at the airport earlier today (11 February). Further investigation is underway, he added.

Police said they were also examining several documents recovered with the cash at the time of his detention, which has sparked discussion on social media.

According to police, the Jamaat leader arrived at Saidpur on a US-Bangla Airlines domestic flight at 10:55am today. At the time, it was reported that his bag reportedly contained more than Tk50 lakh.

In a video recorded at the time of detention, Belal is heard saying that his home is in the Hajipara area of Thakurgaon town and that he is the son of Dabirul Islam. He also identified himself as a teacher at Thakurgaon Shalanda College.

When asked how much money was in his luggage, he said, "There is more than Tk50 lakh there. This is money from my garments business."

However, police at the time said the bag contained Tk40 lakh.

In response to the question of how the cash-filled luggage that was seized at Saidpur Airport managed to pass through Dhaka Airport, the Executive Director of Dhaka Airport, Group Captain Ragib Samad, said, "When the matter was informed to the airport customs authorities, they raised no objection. Besides, there are no restrictions on transporting money on domestic routes."

Meanwhile, the Jamaat leader fell ill after being detained at the airport and was later taken to Saidpur 100-bed Hospital for treatment.

At around 1:47pm, he was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

A large number of law enforcement personnel were deployed to avoid any untoward incidents, and an army vehicle escorted the ambulance to the hospital under tight security.

He was later referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for better treatment. 

Also, the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has described the detention of its Thakurgaon district ameer at Saidpur Airport with a large amount of cash as a "staged drama" and a "politically motivated act," asserting that the money was entirely legal and intended for business purposes.

Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said today (11 February) that the detained leader, whom he described as a senior and responsible figure in the party, had been travelling from Dhaka to Saidpur for business reasons.

"As banks were closed and due to business transaction requirements, he was carrying some cash with him. While passing through the domestic terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, he obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the appropriate authorities before boarding the flight. Yet upon arrival in Saidpur, a drama was staged," he said while speaking at an emergency press briefing at the party's central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka.