Md. Raihan Hossain, Sylhet: Sylhet District BNP Joint Convener and former Chhatra Dal president Advocate Saeed Ahmed secured bail for Labor League leader Zakaria Ahmed, an accused in six cases and alleged perpetrator of attacks on students and citizens during anti-discrimination protests.
According to sources, Advocate Saeed Ahmed acted as a guarantor in court on Tuesday (April 29) to obtain Zakaria Ahmed’s bail. It has been alleged that Advocate Saeed Ahmed facilitated this bail in exchange for a hefty sum of money, with Labor Party leader Md. Ali Akbar Rajon assisting him.
Some BNP-affiliated lawyers, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed that the money was distributed between Saeed Ahmed and Ali Akbar Rajon. During this process, other BNP-Jamaat lawyers reportedly maintained a silent stance.
Following the incident, the Sylhet District Labor Party issued a show-cause notice to Ali Akbar Rajon on Tuesday itself, questioning his support for the Labor League leader in court. The notice, signed by Acting Convener Shah Abdul Mukit and Member Secretary Nurul Islam, directed Rajon to provide an explanation within three days, failing which organizational action would be taken.
Earlier, on Monday (April 28) at around 1:30 AM, Zakaria Ahmed was arrested from his residence in Madina Market by the police. He was presented in court on Tuesday afternoon, where he was granted bail.
Zakaria Ahmed has been a controversial figure in Sylhet for various reasons. Allegedly, he wielded considerable influence over the city’s transportation sector. He was responsible for ensuring the operation of vehicles during BNP-Jamaat strikes while simultaneously creating issues to halt public transport under the guise of strikes during BNP-Jamaat programs, causing frustration among general passengers.
Zakaria Ahmed is also widely recognized as a close associate of Shahjahan Khan, the former minister of the fascist government. Furthermore, he has been accused of using workers to assert dominance in various areas.
Reports suggest that Zakaria Ahmed orchestrated an attack on former Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Shafiqul Rahman Chowdhury. It is also alleged that Sylhet’s fugitive Awami League leaders utilized Zakaria to heat up the city under the pretext of labor movements, leading to significant public suffering.
On Tuesday, laborers called for another movement in support of Zakaria Ahmed, only to be pacified by a staged intervention by Ali Akbar Rajon and Awami League leader Moinul Islam. This further fueled public discontent, with many citizens expressing their frustration.
Several individuals remarked that the laborers seemed to be rehearsing another round of so-called strikes to revive their previous activities. It was the first strike of its kind since August 5, as they attempted to regain control over Sylhet, something they had done for the past 16 years.
After Zakaria Ahmed’s bail was granted, news quickly spread across the court premises that the bail was secured through the advocacy of Advocate Saeed Ahmed, a former president of Sylhet District Chhatra Dal and Joint Secretary of Sylhet District BNP.
Attempts to reach Advocate Saeed Ahmed for comments through multiple calls to his phone went unanswered.
