Adoptive Mother of Bogura’s First July Martyr Arrested on Drug Charges

Police in Bogura have arrested Shapla Begum, a notorious drug dealer named in 16 criminal cases, during a raid on Monday morning. Shapla, 45, is the adoptive mother of Siam Shuvo, officially recognised as the first martyr of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Bogura following his death during the July 2024 mass uprising.

Acting on a tip-off regarding drug trafficking, a team from Bogura Sadar Police Station launched an operation at the Chak Sutrapur Haddipatti bus stand area. Officers intercepted Shapla at the scene and seized 50 Tapentadol tablets along with 30 grams of heroin from her possession.

Shapla Begum, wife of Mohammad Ashik and a resident of Chak Sutrapur Haddipatti, has long been identified by police and residents as a primary narcotics supplier in the area. She has served multiple prison sentences after being caught with illicit drugs on numerous occasions in the past.

Her profile gained public attention following the events of 19 July 2024, when her teenage adopted son, Siam Shuvo, was killed by gunfire near the Seujgari Amtala intersection while observing the protests. Shuvo was subsequently honoured as the first martyr of the student-led movement in Bogura district. Local sources report that Shapla relied on the social respect afforded to a martyr’s mother to deflect suspicion from her illicit trade.

Her record also includes violent clashes with law enforcement. In August 2024, Detective Branch (DB) officers conducted a raid in Chak Sutrapur to arrest an individual named Roni, wanted in a theft case filed at Shahjahanpur Police Station. During that raid, Shapla and her husband led an attack on the police team using iron rods, sticks, and sharp weapons, leaving three officers injured. She was arrested at the scene, though she later secured bail.

Following Monday’s operation, police charged Shapla under the Narcotics Control Act. Ibrahim Ali, Officer-in-Charge of Bogura Sadar Police Station, stated that her persistent criminal activity had caused severe disruption in the locality. Police presented her before a Bogura court, which remanded her to judicial custody.