Former Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastgir Gazi’s Assistant Private Secretary (APS) Emdadul Haque aka Dada Emdad is as if he has received the magic lamp of a fairy tale, with the touch of which he has built a mountain of wealth in the capital, neighboring Rupganj and birthplace Sirajganj. Investigation revealed that the former minister built a mountain of wealth during his tenure at APS for more than a century. Only in Sirajganj, the information of his assets of about hundred crores of rupees has been found. He also has huge wealth in Rupganj of Narayanganj.

Apart from the dredger business, he also has investments in the housing sector. He also controlled the drug empire of Rupganj starting from land grabbing, extortion. Dada Emdad has become a banana tree overnight with the illegal money earned from these sectors.

However, these illegal assets of Dada Emdad are now in the net of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The company started investigation after getting the information about his illegal wealth acquisition. In the meantime, the ACC has also sent a letter summoning him. However, he is delaying the strategy. According to ACC sources, Emdad has failed to reply to the letter sent to him by the ACC asking for information on the acquired assets.
On the surface investigation in Rupganj and Sirajganj, local residents said that his APS Emdad is more powerful than former minister Golam Dastgir Gazi. If you don’t pay him, you can’t go to Rupganj safely. If the subscription is not paid, the car does not run, the wheels of the factory do not turn. And by paying the subscription, the shop can be opened and drugs can be sold smoothly.

Locals said, starting from the sand trade in Rupganj, the drug trade is under the control of Emdad.

His picture with identified terrorists of the area can be seen on Facebook. Terrorists also take pictures with influential emdads and spread them on social media to show their power.
It is learned that in a notification dated August 6, 2019, Assistant Private Secretaries (APS) to Ministers and Ministers of State were given the rank of Senior Assistant Secretaries. Also pay is fixed in sixth grade. According to the sixth grade, an APS can receive a minimum salary of 35 thousand 500 to a maximum of 67 thousand 10 rupees. Emdadul Haque received a little more than Tk 1 crore during his 13 years as Assistant Private Secretary (APS) to Golam Dastgir Gazi, the former Minister of Textiles and Jute Ministry, despite taking the highest salary figure. But under the cover of this small salary, Emdad has built up huge illegal wealth.

Hundreds of crores of wealth in Sirajganj:
The investigation revealed that Emdadul Haque is the son of Montu Mia of Dargahpara village of Shahjadpur Municipality of Sirajganj. A few years ago, he was a common man. But now his situation in the area is flourishing. The fairy tale story of Emdad’s change of day was heard in the voice of the local people themselves. On condition of anonymity, a resident said, “He (Emdad) doesn’t calculate lakhs of taka, he calculates crores of taka.” After becoming APS of the minister, he bought a lot of land.

According to the investigation, Emdad has built a wealth of around hundred million rupees in his native Shahjadpur. About 50 percent of the land is in Ward No. 5 of Shahjadpur’s Dargahpara. Currently, the value of these lands is at least 25 lakh rupees per century. As such, his wealth here is around 12.5 million taka. There are 14 shops on 7 percent land in Manirampur Bazar in Ward No. 3 of Prankandar Municipality, the current market value of which is around Tk 280 million. Next to it there are buildings on 4 percent of the land worth at least one and a half crore rupees.

Not only that, Ward No. 8 has 14 percent land in Dariyapur. Currently, the market value of land here is around 45 lakhs per hundred.

Resources in Dhaka:
Our investigation team went to the residential area of Dakshin Banasree of the capital after getting the information about Emdad’s illegal wealth. It is known that the high walled building near Dakshin Bansri Jame Masjid belongs to Emdadul Haque. His house is also 30/B-30/C at 13/3 Road No. K Block in the same area. Emdadul Haque’s driver Razzak is in charge of the building.

Talked to Emdad’s former supervisor Saiful while hiding his identity. Several houses of Emdad were traced from Saiful. In the conversation, Saiful said that apart from the house in Dakshina Banasri, there are two more houses in Basabo. One of these houses is 10 floors. The other is six stories.

Based on Saiful’s words, after going to Basabo area in search of Emdad’s house, it is known that Emdad lives in the Best Barrack Living Apartment of Basabo Best Living Limited at number 36. Undercover talks to the security guard of the apartment. He said that Emdad has two flats in that apartment. He lives on the fifth floor. According to local people, the price of each flat in Best Barrack Living Apartment is around one and a half crore rupees. Emdadul Haque’s government stickered car is found in this building.

Sources say Emdad has also invested in housing business. 15 percent shares of Rimzhim Awasan are in Emdad’s name. Apart from this, he took plots anonymously from various housing projects in Rupganj.

Emdad to control illegal gas line connections:
In different areas of Rupganj Upazila, Emdad connected illegal gas by pulling low-quality pipes from Titas gas distribution line. To provide this connection, Emdad formed a syndicate with Titus’ officials and local terrorists. As a result of these illegal connections, the government is losing crores of revenue.

Sources say that about one and a half lakh residential and commercial gas connections have been given under the management of Emdad in Rupganj. Among them, most of the buildings and factories around the Dhaka-Sylhet highway including Tarab Beribandh, Mograkul, Barab, Khadun, Maikuli, Khidirpur, Nayapara, Baravita, Arafatnagar have been connected. According to local people, each residential connection costs 30 to 40 thousand taka

No need to pay. If you disconnect, you can get reconnected by paying some money. However, for residential connections, you have to pay a minimum of 2 lakh to 15 lakh taka depending on the gas pressure.

Hasanur Rahman, a resident of Tarab municipality, said, “In coordination with the local administration and Titus, raids were conducted after several months, and illegal connections were disconnected. After the administration leaves, the illegal connections are made again. If there were no high-level people involved in local politics, illegal connections would not have been possible.

Emdad’s Hand in Dredger and Sand Business:
After the former minister became APS, Emdad gradually took control of the dredger and sand business in Rupganj. In Rupganj, two dredgers are working on sand filling in Bholab, Qutubpur, Mochartaluk Mauza at Rimzhim Abasan. Due to Emdad’s power, it was not possible to stop the sand filling even after filing a writ in the High Court. Earlier, common people got angry and set the dredger on fire. Emdad’s dredger is running in the Asian Duplex Town in the name of editor Munna Khan and Rupganj Upazila Press Club president Momen and general secretary Maqbul Hossain. Emdad’s dredger is running in American City in the name of Samsunnahar, president of Kanchan Paur Mahila Awami League. In addition, Emdad has a dredger operating in Eastwood City. Apart from this, it is said that Emdad has to pay 5 percent of the price of sand lifted from all the dredgers in Rupganj.

3.5 Crores per month income from drug trade:
It is said in the complaint that Emdad controls the drug trade of various unions in Rupganj. Jubo League president Kausar Pradhan, Kanchane Bachir and Shaheen Mia (Loha Shaheen) are controlling the drug business of Bholab Union. Shamser Ali aka Daku Shamser in Daudpur, Rupganj Union and Chanpara of Kayetpara, Tarab, Golakandail, Bhulta, Murapara are also responsible people of Emdad. Emdad collects three to three and a half million taka per month from these drug dealers.

Road and Transport Extortion:
There are over four hundred shops lining the footpaths of Bholta Gausia. From each of these shops, the members of Chhatra League-Youth League, controlled by Emdad, collect Tk 150 to Tk 200 daily. If they do not pay, they are beaten and expelled from the area. Apart from this, the terrorists of Emdad regularly collect money from all the markets of Rupganj. Most of it goes into Emdad’s pocket. Apart from this, Emdad’s army collects regular subscriptions from the transport of various stands on the connecting roads of Sylhet, Gazipur, Madanpur and Dhaka. Drivers have to pay a minimum of 50 taka and a maximum of 100 taka per vehicle per day. The Rupganj stand has about 270, 250 and 80 CNG-powered autorickshaws, Lagunas and hired private cars respectively. Out of this, a daily contribution of Tk 50 is collected from each autorickshaw, Tk 60 from Laguna, Tk 100 from private cars. Apart from this, monthly one-time contribution of 1000 to 1500 taka has to be paid.

Capture the river by removing the boundary pillars:
Under the umbrella of Emdad, the terrorists are occupying the river land by removing the border pillars of the Shitalakshya river. Emdad and his forces are occupying the banks of the river on both sides of Golam Dastgir Gazi Virpratik bridge. Rupganj Mather Ghat, Darikandi, Baniadi, Atlashpur, Hatab Jelepara, Ichakhali, Paragaon, Bara Alu, Purvagram, Chanpara, Rupsi, Gandhavpur on both sides of the river are being occupied and sold to various companies. The land is claimed to be owned by Afzal Food, NDE Readymix, KPC and Rangdhanu Group.
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