Jamaat-e-Islami pouring money with both hands ahead of election

Staff Correspondent

Dhaka, 11 February 2026: The arrest of two Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in Thakurgaon and Comilla with a huge amount of cash on the eve of the 13th National Parliament Election and Referendum has created a stir across the country. Local and police sources allege that the money was being carried for distribution among voters. Many consider such a large amount of cash transaction suspicious when the country’s offices, courts, and businesses are closed.

Nearly half a crore taka in cash recovered at Thakurgaon airport

Police have detained Belal Uddin Pradhan (Belal Uddin), the Amir of Jamaat-e-Islami in Thakurgaon district, after he landed on a flight from Dhaka at Nilphamari’s Syedpur Airport. It has been reported that around 50 lakh to 74 lakh taka in cash was recovered from him. Superintendent of Police Sheikh Zahidul Islam said that the detainee admitted during interrogation that the amount of money was more than half a crore. Later, when he fell ill, he was admitted to Rangpur CMH or a local hospital. Jamaat has claimed that the incident is a ‘staged drama’ and ‘political harassment’. The party’s central assistant secretary general Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair said that Belal Uddin is a garment businessman. He was carrying cash for business transactions as banks were closed. A no-objection certificate was obtained at Shahjalal Airport with information about the money. Delwar Hossain, Jamaat candidate for Thakurgaon-1 constituency, has also made the same claim.

Arrested for allegedly distributing money to voters in Comilla

On the same day, Jamaat leader Maulana Habibur Rahman Helali (Ameer of Dhamghar Union Jamaat) was arrested on charges of distributing money among voters in the Shaliakandi area of ​​Muradnagar upazila of Comilla. The local people first detained him, then the Executive Magistrate and police went to the spot and recovered Tk 2 lakh in cash from him. He is the chief coordinator of the Shaliakandi polling station of the Jamaat nominated candidate in Comilla-3 constituency. After the arrest, Habibur Rahman denied the charges and claimed that he did not have the money; he had a little money for the agents’ food expenses and that the money was kept by a conspiracy.

More incident details:

Ahmed Shamran, the leader of the Shiv Sena, was arrested in Uttara with Tk 46,500.
Important items including a mobile phone, wallet, and fork were seized from him.

 

 

Jamaat worker arrested by mob while buying votes in Darikandi, Sanmandi, Narayanganj

 

 

 

Jamaat leader arrested for buying votes in Sirajganj

 

 

 

 

Jamaat worker arrested by mob while buying votes in Narayanganj

According to the Election Commission’s code of conduct, party expenses exceeding Tk 50,000 have to be made through banking channels. While it is normal to carry cash as banks and offices are closed across the country, many believe that such a large sum and time is an attempt to buy votes. Law enforcement and the Election Commission are investigating these incidents. These incidents have sparked a new debate about the transparency and impartiality of the elections.