Dhaka: A special court here today convicted and sentenced expelled Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat to life imprisonment in an arms case. Judge Md Ibrahim Miah of Dhaka Special Tribunal-2 pronounced the judgment in absence of the former president of the Dhaka south city unit of Jubo League, and issued an arrest warrant against the convict, court clerk Shahadat Ali told BSS.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Samrat had established a cadre group to facilitate his extortion activities in public and private offices. The court observed that Samrat employed this group to maintain his control over illegal activities. His involvement extended to about 10 clubs associated with casino operations.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Samrat and his associate, former Jubo League leader Enamul Haque alias Arman, from a village in Cumilla’s Chauddagram Upazila on October 6, 2019. Subsequently, RAB conducted a raid on Samrat’s Kakrail premises, seizing a large amount of foreign liquor, a 7.65 calibre pistol, five bullets, and a deer hide. On October 7, 2019, Deputy Assistant Director of RAB-1 Abdul Khaleq filed an arms case and a narcotics control case against him.
RAB submitted a charge-sheet against Samrat on November 6, 2020, with the special tribunal framing charges on January 16, 2025. Throughout the trial, 10 witnesses provided testimony against him.