Officials of top institutions, including Asiatic, Grameenphone & few other MNC’s at a drug and alcohol party

Staff Correspondent

 

Questions remain over the purpose of a late-night gathering at a house near Purbachal after the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police detained 85 people during a raid and a mobile court subsequently sentenced them to imprisonment and fines.

The incident took place on Monday night at a property in Police Officers’ Housing near Purbachal. According to a report published by Amar Desh, the house belongs to Additional Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdullah Al Jahir, who was placed on special duty (OSD) on Tuesday.

Of those detained, 59 were men and 26 were women. The mobile court sentenced the men to one month of imprisonment without labour and fined each Tk 1,000. The women received 15-day prison sentences and the same fine. The report said an additional three days of imprisonment would apply in default of payment.

The detainees were sent to prison on Tuesday, with 26 reportedly transferred to Kashimpur Jail and the others held at Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.

Despite the large number of people detained, key questions remain unanswered, including why the gathering was organised, what activities took place at the property and whether there was any connection between the attendees beyond their presence at the venue.

Corporate professionals reportedly among attendees

The Amar Desh report, citing various sources, said that people working in several private companies were reportedly among those present at the property. These included employees associated with Asiatic, Grameenphone, British American Tobacco Bangladesh, PRAN-RFL Group, Philip Morris and ACI Motors, among other organisations.

The report alleged that at least 20 people associated with different Asiatic entities attended the gathering. It also raised questions about the presence of a significant number of corporate professionals at the same location.

However, the available information does not establish that the individuals attended in an official capacity, that their employers organised or endorsed the gathering, or that the companies themselves were involved in any alleged unlawful activities.

The identities and professional affiliations of those detained have not been independently verified for this report.

DB officials reportedly declined to provide a comprehensive list of the detainees or clarify their occupations and the purpose of their gathering. DB chief Shafiqul Islam told Amar Desh that the individuals had been sentenced and sent to prison, but said the agency had not established their professions or why they had assembled there.

Property allegedly used for regular commercial parties

According to the report, the property was listed on Airbnb and other traveller-oriented platforms for short-term rentals. The owner reportedly maintained that it was rented for private family occasions, including birthday celebrations and pre-wedding ceremonies.

Authorities, however, reportedly suspected that the property was being used for regular commercial DJ parties where alcohol and drugs were consumed.

The report said the house was not licensed as a hotel or resort and did not possess the required bar or restaurant licences. It further alleged that between 18 and 22 commercial DJ events were held there each month.

The property reportedly had five rooms, with each room accommodating bookings of up to 10 people. Additional attendees were said to have been charged a registration fee of Tk 600 each. According to information attributed to police, individual events could generate rental income of around Tk 100,000.

During the search, authorities reportedly recovered cannabis, yaba, alcohol and equipment associated with drug consumption.

Deputy Commissioner of DB’s Uttara division, Ilias Kabir, was quoted in the original report as saying that the premises had regularly hosted DJ parties involving alleged drug consumption and other activities.

The allegations concerning the property’s operation, licensing and activities remain matters requiring appropriate verification and investigation.

Owner says property was rented for a birthday party

Jahir reportedly told Amar Desh that the house was regularly rented through online platforms and that he had established rules for its use.

He said the property had been rented on this occasion for a birthday party. He added that if any illegal activity had taken place there, responsibility could not simply be avoided, while denying that he had rented the property with any improper intention.

The report said Jahir had appointed a person identified as Mahbub Alam as a co-host to manage the property. Under their reported arrangement, 70 per cent of the rental income went to Jahir and the remaining 30 per cent to the co-host.

Jahir’s position and the circumstances surrounding the property’s use are expected to be relevant to any investigation into whether the premises were operated in accordance with applicable laws.

Authorities examine possible wider links

The report also raised questions about whether the gathering could be connected to a separate investigation involving two retired military officers, Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Debashish Narayan Pal and Lieutenant (retired) Kazi Gulshan Ara.

The two officers were reportedly arrested on October 12 in connection with allegations of activities intended to destabilise the country. Investigators were said to be examining claims involving fundraising for a banned organisation and the dissemination of provocative material.

Sources cited by Amar Desh alleged a possible connection between the activities of the retired officers and the gathering at Jahir’s property. The report did not establish a confirmed link, and the nature of any such connection remains unclear.

The allegations against the retired officers and any suspected association with the Purbachal gathering should therefore be treated as unproven unless established by competent authorities.

Investigation into police official

A senior Home Ministry official reportedly confirmed that an investigation into Jahir had begun following his placement on special duty.

According to the report, a police headquarters order signed by Inspector General of Police Md Ali Hossain Fakir placed Jahir under the headquarters on Tuesday. Investigative agencies were also reportedly examining the sources of funds used to purchase land and construct the house.

The action against Jahir does not, by itself, establish wrongdoing. Any departmental or legal consequences would depend on the findings of the relevant investigation.

Meanwhile, Officer-in-Charge of Khilkhet Police Station Abdul Alim told Amar Desh that the detainees had not been handed over to his station and that no case or general diary had been filed there in connection with the incident. He said the mobile court had imposed the sentences following the DB operation.

Key questions remain unanswered

The incident has raised broader questions about the oversight of short-term rental properties, the monitoring of commercial events held in residential areas and the enforcement of laws governing drugs, alcohol and unlicensed commercial activities.

It has also highlighted the importance of establishing the facts before drawing conclusions about those present at a gathering or the organisations with which they may be professionally associated.

For now, the central questions remain: who organised the event, what activities took place, whether the venue was operating lawfully and whether investigators can establish any connection between the gathering and other alleged offences.

A full understanding of the incident will depend on verified evidence, transparent findings from the authorities and an opportunity for the individuals concerned to respond to the allegations.