Thakurgaon: Jamaat-e-Islami's Thakurgaon district leader, Belal Uddin Pradhan, was hospitalised after his arrest at Saidpur Airport with approximately Tk 74 lakh in his possession. He was admitted to Saidpur 100-bed Hospital in Nilphamari district on Tuesday afternoon following complaints of illness.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Belal Uddin Pradhan was transported to the hospital by ambulance at 1:47 pm. Resident Medical Officer Nazmul Huda stated that medical tests, including an ECG, showed no signs of a heart attack. He has been referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for further evaluation. Additional law enforcement officers have been stationed around the hospital to ensure security.
Earlier, police arrested Belal Uddin at Saidpur Airport, recovering Tk 74 lakh from him, as confirmed by Abdus Sattar, Officer-in-Charge of Saidpur Police Station. A case regarding the cash recovery has been filed, noted the OC.
In response, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General, Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, claimed during a press conference that the arrest was a staged event by law enforcement. Zubair insisted that the money was not election-related but linked to Belal Uddin's personal business dealings.