Dhaka – Police detained a district unit Ameer (chief) of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Thakurgaon unit, at an airport in northern Nilphamari district with Tk 7.4 million taka in cash, just one day before the national election.
Belal Uddin Pradhan was intercepted by a Bangladesh Army team upon arrival at Saidpur Airport from Dhaka on a domestic flight around midday, according to Nilphamari Superintendent of Police Sheikh Zahidul Islam.
The cash was found packed in two ordinary handbags and was later handed over to police custody.
Pradhan, a college teacher by profession, initially told investigators the amount was Tk 5 million but later the total was verified as Tk 7.4 million.
He claimed the money belonged to his garment business.
The seizure, occurring on the eve of Thursday’s polling, has raised questions about the source and intended use of the funds, with authorities investigating whether it was linked to election-related activities such as vote-buying or campaigning.
Following his detention, Pradhan complained of feeling unwell and was taken first to the Saidpur Upazila Health Complex before being transferred to the Cardiology Department of Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Police are continuing their probe into the money’s origin and purpose.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), at a press briefing, accused Jamaat-e-Islami of attempting to manipulate voters through cash distribution ahead of the election.
Jamaat-e-Islami strongly denied the allegations, describing the detention as a “staged drama” orchestrated by law enforcement agencies to tarnish the party’s image just before polling.
Party leaders claimed the cash was legitimate business funds and that Pradhan, a responsible figure, was carrying it for personal or business needs.
They added that airport customs in Dhaka had cleared the transport, and the incident was being politically misrepresented.
Pradhan resides in the Hajipara area of Thakurgaon town. Legal action has been initiated, and the matter remains under investigation.
