An organized gang orchestrated the fraudulent sale of over 500 katha of land in Narayanganj’s Rupganj, simultaneously to two different buyers.

The property was initially sold to the Bangladesh Police Officers Multipurpose Cooperative Society (BPOMCS) in Rupganj, near Dhaka. Later, the same seller again sold it to a housing company by hiding the information regarding the previous sale.

The sellers were Rongdhanu Group Chairman Rafiqul Islam and his two sons Kawsar Ahmed Apu and Mehdi Hasan Dipo, sources said.

They are also allegedly involved in forcibly seizing land, torture, orchestrating disappearances, and being involved in the murder of residents in the region.

Rafiqul Islam, also a former chairman of Kayetpara Union Parishad in Rupganj, works as the main associate of Textile and Jute Minister Golam Dastgir Gazi, intending to maintain his influence in the region and protection of his illicit undertakings.

Six cases have been lodged against Rafiqul Islam and his two sons at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, accusing them of siphoning off billions through their deceitful endeavours.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police has been investigating the cases.

According to the case statement (Case no CR 762/2023), Kawsar Ahmed Apu sold 1.232 acres of land (RS plot no 199, 21, 41, 248, 264, 57, 94, 1 and 310) in Paschimgaon, Chatian, Ulab and Purbogaon Mauzas to BPOMCS on 8 March 2022. The land's sale deed was registered under the number 3448.

Around three months later (1 June 2022), the same land was resold to another housing company for Tk 1.13 crore. The land’s deed was registered under the number 7559.

On December 12, when the company discovered that the land had already been sold, and requested a refund, Rafiq and his two sons allegedly issued death threats to the housing company representatives, according to sources.

The housing company alleged that they had invested Tk 3.40 crore in land development before discovering the fact.

According to another case statement (Case no CR 763/2023), Mehdi Hasan Dipu, the other son of Rafiqul, sold a total of 123.024 katha land (RS plot no 266,335, 527, 2303, 885, 879, 251, 358, 1127, 141, 880, 879, 1320, 209, 162, 5,7, 165, and 175) in Baruna, Kayetpara, Kayemsair, Keraniganj, Chatian, Baraluparagaon, Paschimgaon, Majhina, and Harinagram Mauza to BPOMCS on 8 March 2022.

The land’s deed was registered under the numbers 3445, 3447, 3448 and 3455.

This land was also resold at Tk 1.29 crore to the same housing company (Deed No. 8150) on 12 June 2022.

The latter company claimed that they spent Tk 3.90 crore for developing the land after purchasing.

In case no 770/2023, on March 8, 2022, 104.862 katha land at RS plot nos. 694, 693, 691, 1396, 1223, 1225, 1226, 1227, 1237, 492, 495, 956, 1322, 419, 1599, 1353, 303, 330,331, 1332, 1395, and 1574 dags was sold to BPOMCS. The sale deed number is 3445.

On June 1, 2022, Rafiqul resold the land to another housing company under deed number 7552. The company claimed to have paid Tk 1.98 lakh 72 crore and invested an additional Tk 6 crore in land development.

Similarly, with the assistance of his father Rafiqul Islam, Kawsar Ahmed Apu sold 1.0359 acres of land in Baraluparagaon, Kayetpara, and Purgaon Mauza of Rupganj to BPOMC. Subsequently, he resold the identical land to a housing company for Tk 1.6 crore. The company claimed that it invested Tk 3.20 crores in land development.

On 31 December 2022, two other cases (CR cases number 773 and 774) were filed against Kawsar Ahmed Apu and Rafiqul Islam.

According to the case statement, Kawsar Ahmed Apu sold 0.7819 acres of land in Baraluparagaon, Paschimgaon, Talashkot, Majhin, and Barun Mouja to BPOMCS in March 2022.

He resold the same land to a housing company for Tk 73.78 lakh.

Apart from this, Kawsar Ahmed Apu sold a total of 1.54 acres of land with RS numbers 277, 300, 368, 728, 219, 412, 166, 345, 292, 66, 522, 98, 51, 547, 56, 305, and 307 under Rupganj's Basulia, Kayemsair, Talashkoot, and Baruna Mouza to BPOMCS.

He subsequently resold the same land to the housing company at Tk 81.38 lakh. The sale deed number of the land is 7549.

BDST: 1622 HRS, JAN 05, 2024