S A Shofiee, Sylhet

Sheikh Hasina’s government has resigned in the face of student Movement. Deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left the country and taken refuge in India.

Saturday (September 21) marked 46 days since he left the country. After the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina government, the Awami League leaders and activists suddenly disappeared in Sylhet like the rest of the country. Among them, the top leaders of the party, a large part of influential and powerful leaders including former ministers and MPs have left the country. Most of them are based in India. Some are in the UK, US and various countries in the Middle East. However, most of the party, more than 90 percent of its leaders and workers are safe in Sylhet region. They are keeping an eye on the current situation of the country, cases and the activities and movements of the law and order forces all the time.

Meanwhile, more than half a hundred cases have been registered in Sylhet under the changed circumstances. This includes 16 murder cases. Others have been booked under various laws, including the Attack on Students and Mass Movements, Attempt to Murder and Explosives Acts. The number of accused in these cases is more than 15 thousand. Most of the accused are leaders and workers of Awami League and allied organizations.

Among the accused are ex-minister-MPs as well as ex-mayor-councillor of city corporation-municipality, chairman-member of district-upzilla and union parishad, as well as top local leaders of Awami League and allied organizations. The list of accused includes members of law enforcement. In most of the ‘political cases’, non-political people including 10 journalists have been accused. Expatriates are also on the list of accused.

Those who were not in the country at the time of the incident. Besides, the plaintiffs in some cases including murder do not know the accused in their respective cases. Some plaintiffs have also approached the court in this regard, seeking to drop the names of the accused who were ‘erroneously included’. Some of the plaintiffs have claimed that they did not file the case themselves. In this situation, there are many “innocent” people who are afraid of being caught in the case. Those who are constantly protesting the leaders of the political parties including the plaintiffs to remove their names from the statement of the case. Some political leaders and “litigants” are using this opportunity. Such news is also coming in the media.

According to sources, even a month after the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina’s government in the popular uprising of students, many powerful leaders of Awami League and former representatives are trying to leave the country illegally. Many have already fled the country. Among them, Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury, the former Minister of State for Expatriate Welfare and Foreign Employment and District Awami League President, Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, the ousted mayor of Sylhet City Corporation, and Habibur Rahman Habib, the former Member of Parliament of Sylhet-3 Constituency, have migrated to the UK through India.

Organizing Secretary of Sylhet District Awami League and former Member of Parliament of Sunamganj-1 Constituency Ranjit Sarkar, Joint General Secretary of Metropolitan Awami League Bidhan Kumar Saha, Information and Research Secretary of District Awami League Mobasvir Ali, Member of District Awami League Shahidur Rahman Chowdhury Javed, General Secretary of Metropolitan Jubo League. Mushfiq Jaigirdar, former organizing secretary MA Hannan, former president of Mahanagar Chhatra League Rahat Tarafdar, former chairman of Dakshin Surma Upazila Parishad Abu Zahir, mayor of Golapganj municipality Aminul Islam Rabel, UK Jubo League leader Ruhul Amin aka Shiblu, Bagha UP chairman Abdus Samad, Jubo League leader Sams Uddin.

Abdul Alim Tushar, General Secretary of Mahanagar Chhatra League, has migrated to Canada. Mahanagar Chhatra League President Kishwar Jahan Sourav, Dakshin Surma Upazila Awami League General Secretary Badrul Islam and district Awami League member and Golapganj Upazila Parishad Chairman Manjur Shafi Elim Chowdhury are staying in the United States. Emdad Rahman, Joint Secretary of the District Volunteer League, is staying in Dubai.

Awami League Central Organizing Secretary and former Member of Parliament Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel, Sylhet Zilla Parishad Former Chairman and District Awami League General Secretary Advocate Nasir Uddin Khan, Metropolitan Awami League Joint General Secretary and Ward Councilor Azadur Rahman Azad, District Chhatra League President are still staying in India. Nazmul Islam, General Secretary Rahel Siraj, Metropolitan General Secretary Naeem Ahmad, Metropolitan Volunteer League President Aftab Hossain Khan, General Secretary Debanshu Das Mithu, Metropolitan Jubo League President Alam Khan Mukti, District Jubo League Joint General Secretary Jahangir Alam, former Chhatra League leader Abdul Latif Ripon, District Volunteer League President Afsar Aziz, Jaintapur Awami League General Secretary Liaquat Ali and Treasurer Jalal Ahmad.

Besides, many influential leaders of Awami League and affiliated organizations including former chairman of Biyanibazar Upazila Parishad Abul Kashem Pallab, former chairman of Fenchuganch Upazila Parishad Asfakul Islam Sabbir are trying to leave the country. They are said to be looking for an opportunity to leave the country.