The arrests were made during a raid by the District Detective Branch (DB) of police at a house in the Sehda Munshibari area of Mymensingh city on Thursday night (29 October).
The other four detainees have been identified as Zakirul Islam, 32, son of the late Abdul Khaleque of Madhya Barera in the city; Sajib Mia, 20, son of Abdul Sattar of Ghagra Union; Utshab Singh Sagar, 28, son of Sudhir Chandra Singh of Sarda Ghosh Road; and Shakir Hossain, 25, son of Shafiqul of Trishal upazila.
Monirul Islam is the son of Ruhul Amin and a resident of Ghagra Union in Mymensingh city. He holds the position of joint general secretary in the Mymensingh South District unit of Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Mymensingh District Detective Branch, Mohammad Mahbubul Haque, said police had received confidential information that several suspected drug dealers were preparing to buy and sell yaba inside a ground-floor room of a two-storey house owned by Uzzal Mia in the Sehda Munshibari area.
Acting on the information, a DB police team conducted a raid at the premises on Thursday night. When the suspects realised that police had arrived, they allegedly attempted to flee. However, officers managed to apprehend all five.
Police subsequently searched the detainees in the presence of local residents and recovered 1,200 yaba tablets, according to the OC.
Yaba, a stimulant drug containing methamphetamine, is illegal in Bangladesh. Its production, possession, distribution and sale are punishable under the country’s Narcotics Control Act. Law enforcement agencies regularly conduct operations to identify suspected drug dealers and disrupt the supply and distribution networks.
Following the arrests, DB Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ripon Uddin filed a case under the Narcotics Control Act with Kotwali Model Police Station. The five detainees were subsequently produced before a court after the completion of the necessary legal procedures.
OC Mahbubul Haque said operations against drug-related activities would continue. He also reiterated the police’s commitment to taking action against those involved in the illegal drug trade.
Meanwhile, the arrest of Monirul Islam has prompted a response from the local Chhatra Dal leadership. Rakib Hossain, general secretary of the Mymensingh South District unit of the organisation, said disciplinary action was being taken against him in connection with the incident.
The investigation is expected to establish the source of the seized tablets and determine whether other individuals were involved in the alleged drug trading operation. All allegations against the arrested individuals remain subject to the legal process and judicial determination.
