Jiaul Haque Jewel, joint general secretary of the Patuakhali district unit of the Awami League and former mayor of Bauphal Municipality, has been arrested by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
He was arrested from a house in the Baridhara DOHS area of the capital at around 11.30pm on Wednesday (30 September), according to sources familiar with the operation. Following his arrest, he was taken to the DB office on Mintu Road.
A police officer involved with the matter said Jewel faces several cases and arrest warrants have been issued against him in connection with those cases. According to the police, he had been in hiding since 5 August 2024.
Law enforcement agencies had been trying to establish his whereabouts for some time. The police officer said investigators recently obtained information indicating that Jewel was staying in the Baridhara DOHS area. Acting on that information, a DB team conducted an operation at a residence there on Wednesday night and arrested him.
The officer said Jewel was subsequently taken to the DB office, where the cases against him will be reviewed before further legal action is taken. However, police have not yet publicly disclosed the specific allegations in the cases or provided details of the arrest warrants.
There has also been no detailed statement from the relevant court regarding the cases or the warrants at the time of the arrest.
Jewel has been active in local Awami League politics in Bauphal for many years. He served as joint general secretary of the Patuakhali district Awami League and also held the post of mayor of Bauphal Municipality. His political activities made him a recognised figure in the local political landscape.
Members of his family, however, have described him as a clean politician. They said he was elected mayor of Bauphal Municipality more than once and worked closely with local residents during his time in office. According to the family, he was also involved in various development activities in the municipality alongside his political work.
The differing accounts surrounding his arrest mean that the full legal circumstances will depend on the details of the cases and the proceedings that follow. The allegations against him remain to be examined through the relevant legal process.
News of Jewel’s arrest has generated discussion across Bauphal and the wider Patuakhali political arena. Attention is now focused on the cases pending against him, the allegations contained in those cases and when he will be produced before a court.
Further details about the legal proceedings are expected to emerge once the relevant authorities formally disclose the case information and subsequent court action.
