MP Azim Murder: Azim ‘taxed’ every gold bar smuggled

Anwarul Azim Anar, the recently slain MP of Jhenaidah-4, was a powerful figure in the criminal underworld with his tight grip over a gold smuggling racket as well as the narcotics trafficking in the region, investigators say.

Law enforcers and the intelligence agency involved in the investigation of his gruesome murder also said Azim got too greedy.

They explained that Azim had been leading the gold smuggling racket for over a decade, but in recent years, he got so greedy that he imposed a “personal tax” on every gold bar smuggled through his turf.

Unsurprisingly, this angered the syndicate members, ultimately leading them to hatch a plan to “get rid of” Azim.

The contract for his murder went to Amanullah, a leader of the Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP), courtesy of Azim’s business partner, Aktrauzzaman, also a member of the syndicate.

As per plan, the lawmaker was butchered at a New Town flat in Kolkata on May 13, a day after he went there for medical treatment.

Sources said Azim was actively involved in the PBCP until he joined BNP politics with Abdul Mannan in 1988.

Belonging to a fisherman’s family, Azim once traded fish in the Kaliganj Bazaar. His involvement in gold smuggling began after he finished his degree course at Jhenaidah’s Government Mahtabuddin College in 1988.

A source in an intelligence agency told this newspaper that Azim first joined a biker gang that smuggled gold on their bikes.

Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of Barobazar union parishad, told The Daily Star, “Kaliganj upazila and its surrounding areas have long been a haven for gold smuggling for its proximity to the Indian border.”

Regarding Azim’s killing, he said that the lawmaker had a falling out with Aktaruzzaman over their business partnership, but did not elaborate on the kind of business they were in.

Azim joined the Awami League in 1995 and became the Kaliganj municipality mayor in 1996.

The post’s influence corrupted his young mind, and he became involved in a variety of criminal activities, including the narcotics trade, claimed local sources.

In 2001, when the BNP government came to power, Azim went into hiding in neighbouring India.

Between 2001 and 2008, at least 22 cases were filed against Azim, including a murder charge and a red notice.

But in 2009, he made a comeback as the Kaliganj upazila chairman. Later, he went on to become the lawmaker for Jhenaidah-4 in 2014 and for the next two consecutive terms.

Over the years, he managed to clear the charges brought against him in all 22 cases since he became the upazila chairman in 2009.

Azim’s criminal persona was an open secret in the constituency, but none dared speak against him, for those who did were either attacked or even killed by hired goons at his command.

Several dozen people have become victims of his oppression, say locals.

The Daily Star managed to speak to the family of Ariful Islam, general secretary of a local ward unit Jubo League, who was killed in his home by political rivals on November 29, 2022.

“Some six to seven armed criminals broke into our home and stabbed my father to death in front of our eyes. These criminals worked for Azim. They killed my father as he was the lawmaker’s political rival,” Tahsinur Rahman, son of Ariful, told yesterday.

On July 8, 2023, one Mehedi Hasan was killed over an internal feud with local drug addicts in Kaliganj upazila.

Two suspects, Akram and Saddam, were arrested over the incident and sent to jail. But later they managed to secure bail as they were followers of Azim, sources alleged.

This newspaper was not able to communicate with the victim’s family as they moved away after the murder out of fear, said locals.

Contacted, Ashraful Alam, mayor of Kaliganj municipality, acknowledged the existence of the gold smuggling racket and claimed he and MP Azim took action against the racket.

Speaking on Azim’s murder, Ashraful said it might have occurred over either business or political rivalry.

“The parliament is yet to declare his [Azim] seat vacant, but his rivals have already started campaigning for the post.”

When this newspaper asked if the MP position was sought to take control of the smuggling racket, the mayor did not respond clearly.