Staff Correspondent:

Former Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader used to deliberately prolong and articulate pure Bengali words to stir public discussion. Sometimes he would say, “Jala, jala re jala, ontorjala (Pain, oh pain, inner agony).” At other times, “Palabo na, kothay palabo… (I won’t run. Where would I go..?”

Not long after uttering these words, Quader had to flee the country. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is still spending his days delivering speeches in his homeland, but the watch-loving Obaidul Quader now has to walk the streets of Kolkata with his face covered.

In 2011, he became the Minister of Road Transport and later served three consecutive terms as the General Secretary of the party. Holding both the ministerial and party posts simultaneously eventually made him arrogant. He would lose temper at any criticism. The erratic behaviour of Quader still fuels public resentment. During the Awami League’s tenure, he formed a behind-the-scenes syndicate to loot from the Road Transport Ministry, BRTA, and Bridges Division.

With close people from his home district Noakhali, he established a powerful, impenetrable clique over one and a half decades. The syndicate included his wife Israatunnesa, younger brother Mirza Quader, Shahadat Hossain and Fakhrul Islam Rahat, nephew Tashiq Mirza, nephew-in-law Mahbubur Rashid Monju, former Vice Chairman of Companiganj Upazila Azam Pasha, Chairman of Musapur Union Parishad Ayub Ali, so-called nephew Iskandar Mirza Shamim, General Secretary of Companiganj Upazila Awami League Mizanur Rahman Badal, and Chairman of Rampur UP Saleqin Rimon.

This syndicate had absolute control over extortion, land grabbing, tender manipulation, elections, recruitments, and lobbying in Noakhali. On 5 August last year, aggrieved locals set fire to Obaidul Quader’s house in Companiganj. Even before the uprising, Quader and his clique had already fled the area.

Israatunnesa’s driver, Atikur Rahman, built a lavish house in Singair of Manikganj, costing no less than Tk2 crore. Using Quader’s influence, Atik amassed wealth illegally — the house stands as proof. Atik also ran several thriving businesses. Israatunnesa used her messengers to lobby at various departments, including Roads and Highways and BRTA. Those who benefited from her lobbying would offer her gifts. It has been reported that several BRTA officials received promotions after gifting her. Even the wife of former Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Selina Momen, and wives of other ministers reportedly obtained transfers and promotions through Israatunnesa by offering money or gifts — something Obaidul Quader was well aware of.

Obaidul Quader was elected MP from Noakhali-5 (Companiganj-Kabirhat). His younger brother Abdul Quader Mirza was the president of the Companiganj Upazila Awami League and the mayor of Basurhat Municipality. The brothers reportedly had disputes over influence, including over the Roads and Highways Department. Local sources say Quader even encouraged his brother’s extortion. Quader was first elected MP from Noakhali-5 in 1996 with the Awami League nomination and served as State Minister for Youth, Sports, and Culture. His brother Mirza began exerting influence from that time, becoming Basurhat Municipality chairman unopposed in 1998.

After being re-elected in the 2008 national election, Quader was elected to the party’s policymaking Presidium in 2009. Though the Awami League formed the government in 2009, Quader wasn’t given a ministry for over two years. When the World Bank raised graft allegations in the Padma Bridge project, Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain was removed, and Quader was appointed in December 2011 — opening the gates of fortune for him and his clique. He was later appointed as the party’s General Secretary, a position he retained with the blessing of Sheikh Rehana.

CORRUPTIONS OF QUADER MIRZA

Using the clout of his elder brother’s position, Quader Mirza and the extended family began consolidating personal gain. From lobbying to corruption, they held sway over departments under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, Noakhali district, sub-districts, municipalities, unions, and even wards. Quader Mirza extorted money from recruitment businesses in Noakhali Science and Technology University, Noakhali General Hospital, BRTA, DC office, police, civil surgeon’s office, and teacher recruitment. Even for constructing buildings in Basurhat Bazaar, extortion money had to be paid to him. For design approvals or bus terminal-related matters, his extortion racket was active everywhere.

Abdul Matin Liton, President of Basurhat Traders Association, said, “Due to Quader Mirza’s extortion, traders in Basurhat lived in fear.”

On 31 December 2020, ahead of the municipal election, Quader Mirza made headlines by lambasting his brother and other party leaders in his manifesto. He threatened Obaidul Quader on Facebook Live, saying he would expose everything. It was all part of a staged drama — intended to prevent Israatunnesa from interfering in Quader Mirza’s commission dealings.

During this time, Obaidul Quader entrusted his brother with commission-based trades involving party nominations, district and sub-district committees, recruitments, and even a 10% commission from development projects. As a result, Mirza amassed immense wealth — both in his and his family’s names.

Obaidul Quader’s father, Mosharraf Hossain, was a school teacher. The family was once modest. In two decades, they became owners of assets worth thousands of crores of taka.

AWAMI LEAGUE OFFICE BUILT ON GRABBED LAND

Obaidul Quader constructed the Upazila Awami League office in Basurhat Bazar by grabbing land belonging to someone else, using Kader Mirza as a proxy. By threatening to seize the RD Shopping Mall in the market, Mirza coerced its owner, Nur Uddin Md Jahangir, into gifting seven decimals of land to him without payment. Later, he donated it under the name of the local Awami League and posed as the donor.

Nur Uddin said, “Out of fear of Obaidul Quader’s power and Kader Mirza’s men, I was forced to sign over land worth Tk1.75 crore for free. On 15 August, I filed a civil case in the Noakhali court against Obaidul Quader and Kader Mirza.”

COMMISSION TRADE

Sources say about Tk600 crore was spent on development in Companiganj upazila and Basurhat municipality over the past 15 years. In the municipality alone, projects worth Tk97 crore were implemented. Kader Mirza would take a 10% commission on average. Victimised contractors  that no one could work in Noakhali without being favoured by Mirza. On 20 September 2021, he summoned Ashik-e-Rasul, owner of Amin Market, to the municipal office and demanded Tk10 lakh. When he refused, Mirza’s men locked the market gate on 27 September. Ashik said, “They reopened it only after I paid.”

Five years ago, Mirza also seized two buildings – four-storey and six-storey – belonging to expatriate Abu Sayed. He registered the four-storey one under his wife Akter Jahan Bokul’s name. The lower floors housed shops, while the upper ones were flats. Mirza even collected rent from the six-storey building on behalf of the municipality. Sayed reclaimed the building after 5 August.

Locals said Obaidul Quader was the main force behind this land-grabbing. Ferdous Mahmud, a businessman in Basurhat, said since the AL came to power, Mirza used to extort traders under various pretexts. Hundreds of shops were grabbed and rented out under the municipality’s name. Victims paid out of fear of Obaidul Quader, but no one dared protest.

HELMET GANG

Companiganj had a helmet- and hammer-wielding gang led by Mirza’s son Tashik Mirza. On 19 February 2021, the gang attacked a rival rally in Chaprashirhat. Local journalist Burhan Uddin Muzakkir died after being shot. His family didn’t dare name anyone in the case. BNP Upazila member-secretary Mahmudur Rahman Ripon said, “There were 103 false cases filed against our leaders. In October last year, the helmet gang attacked homes of 69 BNP leaders and activists.”

In Musapur closure area, Mirza grabbed over 600 acres of government land and sold it by registering it under fake names. He also extracted sand from the Shoto Feni river for three years. On 24 September 2021, Mirza led an attack on Humayun Timber Merchant & Saw Mill in Kolalia. Terrorists put up a signboard claiming the site was for a children’s park.

Owner Firoz Alam Milon said, “We legally purchased the land, mortgaged it with a bank, but they claimed it was state land and demolished our structures. When we went to court, Mirza was forced to release the land.”

Though holding no party post, Obaidul Quader’s younger brother Shahadat Hossain also extorted money. He collected tolls from buses, CNGs, and contractors in Basurhat. Quader’s nephew Mahbubur Rashid Monju was involved in tender manipulation and land grabbing.

Another nephew, Salekin Rimon, became a feared criminal due to Quader’s influence and was elected Ramapur UP chairman. Yet another nephew, Fakhrul Islam Rahat, secured a job at Janata Bank through Quader. Though he never attended office, he drew salary and benefits. He built a house in Basurhat and bought a flat in Chattogram with bank loans. He has since fled to Saudi Arabia with his family.

Kader Mirza’s son Tashik was his aide in criminal activities and is currently on the run. Mirza’s right-hand man, ex-vice chairman and Upazila Jubo League convener Azam Pasha Chowdhury Rumel, fled to Canada after 5 August. Ayub Ali, a key extortionist and land-grabber in Companiganj, is a US citizen who excelled in river sand extraction and land grabbing.

Upazila AL general secretary Mizanur Rahman Badol also had his own gang and handled major tenders. He even lobbied BRTA headquarters to assign driver training programmes to his nephew Md Parvez, who now works in Gabtoli and Uttara. Badol has since fled to Dubai.

Claiming to be Obaidul Quader’s nephew, Iskandar Mirza Shamim would take on different road transport projects from the Roads and Highways Department. He is currently absconding.

But now, clock-obsessed Obaidul Quader is forced to hide his face while walking the streets of Kolkata. He became Road Transport Minister in 2011 and then served three terms as AL general secretary. The simultaneous power of party and ministry turned him arrogant. He would flare up at any criticism, earning him notoriety. Under his watch, a powerful syndicate looted road, BRTA and bridge authorities. He built a 15-year-strong syndicate with his close associates in Noakhali.

The syndicate included his wife Isratunnesa, brother Kader Mirza, Shahadat Hossain, Rahat, nephew Tashik, Monju, Azam Pasha, UP chairman Ayub Ali, Shamim, AL leader Badol, and Ramapur UP chairman Rimon. They held sway over extortion, land grabbing, tenders, elections, recruitment and lobbying.

On 5 August last year, outraged locals set fire to Obaidul Quader’s house in Companiganj. He and his gang fled beforehand.

LAVISH LIFE THROUGH CORRUPTION

Isratunnesa’s driver, Atikur Rahman, built a lavish Tk2 crore home in Singair, Manikganj. He used Quader’s influence to earn illegally. He also ran several booming businesses. Isratunnesa would send aides to lobby in RHD, BRTA and other departments. Beneficiaries of her lobbying would gift her in return. Some BRTA officials reportedly got promotions by offering her gifts. Even ministers’ wives, including former FM AK Abdul Momen’s wife Selina Momen, would use her to get transfers and promotions—something Quader was aware of.

Obaidul Quader served as MP from Noakhali-5 (Companiganj-Kabirhat). His brother Kader Mirza was Companiganj Upazila AL president and Basurhat mayor. The brothers had disputes over control in various offices. Locals said Quader encouraged Mirza’s extortion.

Quader was first elected MP in 1996 and became State Minister for Youth, Sports, and Culture. That was when Mirza started using his influence. In 1998, Mirza unopposed took the Basurhat mayor post. Quader was re-elected in 2008 and became a presidium member of AL in 2009. He had no ministry for two and a half years despite AL forming government. When WB raised graft allegations against the Padma Bridge project, Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain was removed, and Quader took over in December 2011—opening the floodgates for the syndicate’s rise. Later, he was made general secretary with blessings from Sheikh Rehana.