The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Osman family revisited
by ANWAR PARVEZ HALIM
Ajmeri Osman descends from the 'clan' of Khan Sahib Osman Ali. Businessman Osman Ali adroitly scaled the social ladder and firmly established himself in the upper rungs of society. He and his family gained a firm political stronghold too. Renowned leaders of Awami League, even Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, would frequent their home. Osmani Ali was a well-loved and respected man of Narayanganj.
Today it's a different story. Four generations down from the patriarch Osman Ali, the family's good name has changed to notoriety. They are now the scourge of Narayanganj and their name invokes fear rather than respect.
The beginnings
Originally from the village Jamalkandi of Daudkandi in Comilla district, Osman Ali came to Narayanganj in the early 1900s and became a trader in jute. He was a middle-man or dalal and came to be known as Osman dalal. He had a head for business and in no time at all his business was flourishing. In 1935 he built a house, Baitul Aman, in the area adjacent to the Chashara railway line in Narayanganj. As he grew in wealth, he began hobnobbing with the upper echelons of society. Osman dalal then became Khan Sahib Osman Ali. The 'Khan Sahib' titled was bestowed upon him by none other than himself, local people relate. Khan Sahib Osman Ali passed away in 1971.
Osman Ali had good relations with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other politicians of the day. In fact, the present members of the Osman family claim that Awami League was born in their house Baitul Aman. However, in his autobiography Sheikh Mujibur Rahman writes that, "Awami League's first meeting was held at a club in Paikpara of Narayanganj." But it is true that Sheikh Mujib and other political leaders had indeed been regular visitors of the Osman household.
Osman Ali has married twice. He had one son, Shamsuzzoha, from his first wife. The second wife had four sons, Mustafa Sarwar, Farid Sarwar, Nani Sarwar and Babu Sarwar. Barrister Amirul Islam married Mustafa Sarwar's sister. And Babu Sarwar married film actress Kobori. Among Osman Ali's sons from his second wife, only Mustafa Sarwar was involved in Awami League politics. Despite houses, land and property in Narayanganj, none of the Sarwar brothers live their.
While Osman Ali was still alive, Shamsuzzoha, his son from his first wife, was elected to the Provincial Assembly and took a front row in politics. He was also elected MP after independence in 1973. He died on February 20, 1987.
What type of man was this Shamsuzzoha? A local elderly businessman replied, on condition of anonymity, "He may not have been as extreme as his sons and grandsons, but he did abuse and misuse his political clout back in the day." He contends that Shamsuzzoha was involved in the murder of Rokon, the VP of Jahangirnagar University.
Shamsuzzoha has three sons -- Nasim Osman, Selim Osman and the youngest, Shamim Osman. Nasim Osman's son is Ajmeri Osman and Shamim Osman's son is Auyon Osman, the fourth generation of the Osman clan. Selim Osman has three daughters, two of whom are married.
This third and fourth generation of the Osman clan now virtually rules over Narayanganj. They are the terrors of the town and local people quake at the sound of their names. They are known to be involved in politics, business, extortion, violence, forceful occupation of land and property, abductions, disappearances, murder and all sorts of crime.
The Brother Brigade
The local people hold the three brothers, Nasim, Selim and Shamim responsible for the horrific predicament in which Narayanganj lies today. They feel they bear most of the blame for the situation to which the people are all now hostage.
While Shamsuzzoha was still alive his eldest son Nasim Osman joined Ershad's Jatiya Party and became an MP in the 1986 election. He later was elected MP in the elections of 1988, 2008 and 2014, four times in all. On April 30 this year, he suddenly died in Dehradun, India.
While Shamim Osman was an MP, second brother Selim Osman was the uncontested President of the Narayanganj business chamber from 1996 to 2001. During the last government of Sheikh Hasina, when Shamim Osman returned to the country, Selim Osman once again became the President of the Narayanganj chamber. He was also twice the uncontested President of Narayanganj Club. He was also elected President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Selim controls all the trade, business, import and exports of Narayanganj. His brothers' political power has given him this clout.
In 2002 the army arrested Selim Osman for possession of illegal firearms. When the present government came to power, the charges against Selim Osman were dropped. It was claimed that the case against him had been 'politically motivated'.
Shamim Osman is the youngest of the three brothers, but the most talked about. He began his political career through his involvement with Tolaram College Chhatra League. He was elected Vice President of the college in 1981. He later became General Secretary of Awami League's Narayanganj city and district unit. He was elected MP in the 1996 election and from then on the negative image of the Osman family came to the limelight.
Local residents say that from 1996 till the 2001 election, Shamim Osman had monopoly rule of Narayanganj. The administration was at his beck and call. No one dared oppose him. The entire Narayanganj was hostage to Shamim Osman and his gang.
Till 2008, Shamim Osman's picture had hung in the Narayanganj RAB office, as a most wanted criminal. Next to his picture was that of Ajmeri Osman, son of Shamim's brother Nasim Osman. Shamim Osman was also listed as the No. 1 criminal with the Narayanganj police.Shamim Osman was elected MP from the Siddhirganj-Fatulla seat in the voterless
January 5 election. Now his power knew no bounds.In 2001 Shamim Osman lost the election to BNP's Giasuddin and ran away in the dark of the night. He went to Canada only to return to Narayanganj on December 26, 2006. But when the 1/11 caretaker government took over, he ran away once again. In 2008 it was film actress Sara Begum Kobori who won the election in Narayanganj and became MP. When Awami League formed the mahajote (grand alliance) government, Shamim Osman came back and began rebuilding his lost empire. He directly went up in arms against Kobori, who was his chachi (aunt). Being involved with the ruling party, over the past five years Shamim Osman and his family have spread a cloak of fear over Narayanganj.
The Narayanganj police website had Shamim Osman's picture with a call to nab him. A red notice had been sent to Interpol at the time to arrest him. He was sentenced in absentia to seven years imprisonment.
Shamim Osman and Ajmeri Osman are no longer on those lists. The Interpol notice has expired too. All that is left is a suppressed and simmering public rage against the Osman family.
Tawki murder investigations grind to a halt
During the last city corporation elections, the people of Narayanganj stood united against the Osman family. While the Awami League head backed
Shamim Osman, it was Selina Hayat Ivy who won a landslide victory. Leader of the cultural movement, Rafiur Rabbi had worked hard for Selina Hayat Ivy during the election. As punishment, his young son Tawki was abducted and killed. The entire Narayanganj broke out in anger and protest at this murder. The administration initially put on a show of investigating the case and in fact, RAB investigations revealed Nasim Osman's son Ajmeri Osman was the main person behind the killing. Tawki had been taken to his torture cell and killed.
Investigations reveal that Bhromor, Liton, Kalam Sikder, Rajib, Shimanto and Opu has carried out Ajmeri's mission to kill Tawki. Bhromor, Rajib, Liton and Opu were close associates of Ajmeri. Kalam Sikder was Nasim Osman's business partner. Shimanto was Shamim Osman's son Auyon's close associate. Shimanto's father Haji Ripon was a cadre of Nasim Osman's gang.
Just as the draft charge sheet was draw up, for some mysterious reason all proceedings related to the case came to a sudden standstill. Tawki's father Rafiur Rabbi tells PROBE, "The local police were working on behalf of Shamim. But when we handed over tape recordings of a conversation between Ajmeri Osman and his father Nasim Osman about the killing, to RAB, they managed to identify them. Investigations revealed that Ajmeri and his associates had killed my son. But mysteriously the case has been suppressed."
Tawki's father tells PROBE, "Once his name surfaced in the investigations, Ajmeri ran away to India. When Nasim Osman died in India, Ajmeri came back with his father's dead body. After his father's funeral, he went back to India. Yet the police didn't touch him while he was here."
Rafiur Rabbi continues, "It's not just Tawki, innumerable people have been killed in Narayanganj over the past two years. Nasim Osman's son Ajmeri and Shamim Osman's son Auyon are involved in these killings. But the administration is completely under the Osman family's thumb and so the families of the murdered ones have received no justice. Has these killings been tried, perhaps this seven murder case wouldn't have taken place."
http://probeweekly.com/
Osman family revisited
by ANWAR PARVEZ HALIM
Ajmeri Osman descends from the 'clan' of Khan Sahib Osman Ali. Businessman Osman Ali adroitly scaled the social ladder and firmly established himself in the upper rungs of society. He and his family gained a firm political stronghold too. Renowned leaders of Awami League, even Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, would frequent their home. Osmani Ali was a well-loved and respected man of Narayanganj.
Shamim Osman
|
The beginnings
Originally from the village Jamalkandi of Daudkandi in Comilla district, Osman Ali came to Narayanganj in the early 1900s and became a trader in jute. He was a middle-man or dalal and came to be known as Osman dalal. He had a head for business and in no time at all his business was flourishing. In 1935 he built a house, Baitul Aman, in the area adjacent to the Chashara railway line in Narayanganj. As he grew in wealth, he began hobnobbing with the upper echelons of society. Osman dalal then became Khan Sahib Osman Ali. The 'Khan Sahib' titled was bestowed upon him by none other than himself, local people relate. Khan Sahib Osman Ali passed away in 1971.
Osman Ali had good relations with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other politicians of the day. In fact, the present members of the Osman family claim that Awami League was born in their house Baitul Aman. However, in his autobiography Sheikh Mujibur Rahman writes that, "Awami League's first meeting was held at a club in Paikpara of Narayanganj." But it is true that Sheikh Mujib and other political leaders had indeed been regular visitors of the Osman household.
Osman Ali has married twice. He had one son, Shamsuzzoha, from his first wife. The second wife had four sons, Mustafa Sarwar, Farid Sarwar, Nani Sarwar and Babu Sarwar. Barrister Amirul Islam married Mustafa Sarwar's sister. And Babu Sarwar married film actress Kobori. Among Osman Ali's sons from his second wife, only Mustafa Sarwar was involved in Awami League politics. Despite houses, land and property in Narayanganj, none of the Sarwar brothers live their.
While Osman Ali was still alive, Shamsuzzoha, his son from his first wife, was elected to the Provincial Assembly and took a front row in politics. He was also elected MP after independence in 1973. He died on February 20, 1987.
What type of man was this Shamsuzzoha? A local elderly businessman replied, on condition of anonymity, "He may not have been as extreme as his sons and grandsons, but he did abuse and misuse his political clout back in the day." He contends that Shamsuzzoha was involved in the murder of Rokon, the VP of Jahangirnagar University.
Shamsuzzoha has three sons -- Nasim Osman, Selim Osman and the youngest, Shamim Osman. Nasim Osman's son is Ajmeri Osman and Shamim Osman's son is Auyon Osman, the fourth generation of the Osman clan. Selim Osman has three daughters, two of whom are married.
This third and fourth generation of the Osman clan now virtually rules over Narayanganj. They are the terrors of the town and local people quake at the sound of their names. They are known to be involved in politics, business, extortion, violence, forceful occupation of land and property, abductions, disappearances, murder and all sorts of crime.
The Brother Brigade
Selim Osman
|
While Shamsuzzoha was still alive his eldest son Nasim Osman joined Ershad's Jatiya Party and became an MP in the 1986 election. He later was elected MP in the elections of 1988, 2008 and 2014, four times in all. On April 30 this year, he suddenly died in Dehradun, India.
While Shamim Osman was an MP, second brother Selim Osman was the uncontested President of the Narayanganj business chamber from 1996 to 2001. During the last government of Sheikh Hasina, when Shamim Osman returned to the country, Selim Osman once again became the President of the Narayanganj chamber. He was also twice the uncontested President of Narayanganj Club. He was also elected President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association. Selim controls all the trade, business, import and exports of Narayanganj. His brothers' political power has given him this clout.
Nasim Osman
|
Shamim Osman is the youngest of the three brothers, but the most talked about. He began his political career through his involvement with Tolaram College Chhatra League. He was elected Vice President of the college in 1981. He later became General Secretary of Awami League's Narayanganj city and district unit. He was elected MP in the 1996 election and from then on the negative image of the Osman family came to the limelight.
Local residents say that from 1996 till the 2001 election, Shamim Osman had monopoly rule of Narayanganj. The administration was at his beck and call. No one dared oppose him. The entire Narayanganj was hostage to Shamim Osman and his gang.
Till 2008, Shamim Osman's picture had hung in the Narayanganj RAB office, as a most wanted criminal. Next to his picture was that of Ajmeri Osman, son of Shamim's brother Nasim Osman. Shamim Osman was also listed as the No. 1 criminal with the Narayanganj police.Shamim Osman was elected MP from the Siddhirganj-Fatulla seat in the voterless
 Azmeri Osman, son of Nasim Osman |
The Narayanganj police website had Shamim Osman's picture with a call to nab him. A red notice had been sent to Interpol at the time to arrest him. He was sentenced in absentia to seven years imprisonment.
 Ayon Osman, son of Shamim Osman |
Tawki murder investigations grind to a halt
During the last city corporation elections, the people of Narayanganj stood united against the Osman family. While the Awami League head backed
Shamim Osman, it was Selina Hayat Ivy who won a landslide victory. Leader of the cultural movement, Rafiur Rabbi had worked hard for Selina Hayat Ivy during the election. As punishment, his young son Tawki was abducted and killed. The entire Narayanganj broke out in anger and protest at this murder. The administration initially put on a show of investigating the case and in fact, RAB investigations revealed Nasim Osman's son Ajmeri Osman was the main person behind the killing. Tawki had been taken to his torture cell and killed.
Investigations reveal that Bhromor, Liton, Kalam Sikder, Rajib, Shimanto and Opu has carried out Ajmeri's mission to kill Tawki. Bhromor, Rajib, Liton and Opu were close associates of Ajmeri. Kalam Sikder was Nasim Osman's business partner. Shimanto was Shamim Osman's son Auyon's close associate. Shimanto's father Haji Ripon was a cadre of Nasim Osman's gang.
Just as the draft charge sheet was draw up, for some mysterious reason all proceedings related to the case came to a sudden standstill. Tawki's father Rafiur Rabbi tells PROBE, "The local police were working on behalf of Shamim. But when we handed over tape recordings of a conversation between Ajmeri Osman and his father Nasim Osman about the killing, to RAB, they managed to identify them. Investigations revealed that Ajmeri and his associates had killed my son. But mysteriously the case has been suppressed."
Tawki's father tells PROBE, "Once his name surfaced in the investigations, Ajmeri ran away to India. When Nasim Osman died in India, Ajmeri came back with his father's dead body. After his father's funeral, he went back to India. Yet the police didn't touch him while he was here."
Rafiur Rabbi continues, "It's not just Tawki, innumerable people have been killed in Narayanganj over the past two years. Nasim Osman's son Ajmeri and Shamim Osman's son Auyon are involved in these killings. But the administration is completely under the Osman family's thumb and so the families of the murdered ones have received no justice. Has these killings been tried, perhaps this seven murder case wouldn't have taken place."
http://probeweekly.com/
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