Snarl or smile?

The ruling party has been in a dilemma in Narayanganj. On one side it has AKM Shamim Osman, who many believe would not blink an eye to unleash his muscle power to achieve his political and financial interests, and on the other, a soft spoken physician Selina Hayat Ivy, who has, as the mayor for eight years of the now defunct municipality, gained respect and popularity among party members and people from all walks of life.
Most Awami League leaders in Narayanganj have openly signed up for Ivy, while Shamim Osman remains, as usual, surrounded by his trusted men, well known for their notorious activities in the area.
Since Shamim was formally declared by the party high-ups in Dhaka to be Awami League's candidate for the mayoral election, people of Narayanganj have wondered why Awami League could not brush aside a controversial leader like Shamim for a better choice like Ivy. In fact, Shamim's connection to Awami League central committee members in Dhaka goes back to the times when the party was in disarray. As a young student, he proved his loyalty to Sheikh Hasina by standing firm behind the party on her return home on May 17, 1981 from six years of self-exile, which she endured after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other family members.
In Narayanganj Awami League supporters and leaders said by “rejecting” Ivy and extending support to Shamim, Awami League has earned a bad name. “The central committee's support to Shamim has confused even the diehard Awami League supporters, especially educated young men and business community,” said an Awami League leader requesting not to be named. “What Sheikh Hasina should have done is to convince Shamim to withdraw from the race and make room for the younger leadership. This was a great chance for saying no to politics of extortion and violence,” he added.
As the two candidates from ruling Awami League intensify their campaigns for the first ever mayoral election of the 68.19 sq km of newly declared Narayanganj City Corporation, people in offices, tea stalls, shops and on the streets scrutinise the two candidates' good and bad sides.
While Ivy enjoyed a clean reputation, Shamim Osman represented the other side of the coin. Shamim Osman faced 17 criminal cases at different times. He was acquitted in eight cases while proceedings of four were stayed by the High Court. In his affidavit to the Election Commission Shamim disclosed that three other cases were quashed while a final report has been submitted in another case--implying that he was innocent. Trial of an arms case filed with Fatullah Police Station is now continuing. In his deposition he also said there may be other criminal cases filed against him on political grounds of which he is unaware. Shamim and his followers strongly maintain that those cases were politically motivated and anyone involved in politics in Bangladesh for a long time has the same experience.
Shamim Osman, his two brothers Nasim Osman, who is now the member of parliament from Narayanganj-5 constituency from the Jatiya Party, and Selim Osman and their cronies have long been alleged to be involved in systematic toll collection from the transport sector, booming sand trade, real state companies, jhoot (garment leftovers) trade from over 500 garment factories in Narayanganj. During the on-going campaigns, the Osmans have maintained very strongly that they are the sole agent of Awami League in Narayanganj.
“To become mayor of the NCC means much more than becoming a minister because big industries and real estate developers are moving into Narayanganj and these new ventures promise a lot for him (Shamim Osman) and his men,” said a yarn businessman in Tanbazar preferring not to be named.
In Narayanganj, the Osman family is widely feared and none would dare go public in condemning their criminal activities. A bank official alleged that the Osman family with gangs of young and ambitious men beside them has “institutionalised” the underground activities.
“With the Osman family behind the scenes, they have successfully wiped out wholesale extortion and introduced it at a higher level with greater success,” said the official again requesting anonymity. “Every day businessmen tell us how Shamim's men extort them.”
Only the other day in the books of the law enforcers Shamim Osman was the most wanted criminal of Narayanganj. His photo was displayed in the wanted lists at the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) offices and the police issued an international warrant to capture him by putting a red alert on the Interpol website.
Shamim became a lawmaker with Awami League ticket in 1996 but in the night of general election on October 1, 2001, sensing defeat and angry retaliation, Shamim fled Narayanganj and never returned for the next five years. He was believed to be living in Canada, the USA and India at the time. As soon as the tenure of the BNP-Jamaat government ended, Osman reappeared in Narayanganj in December 2006 just to disappear again with the arrival of the military backed caretaker government.
This time Shamim's reappearance in Narayanganj, just after the 2008 general election with Awami League in power, came with no less aggression. His name was removed from the wanted lists overnight and cases against him started to be quashed on political considerations.
The top level Awami League leaders of Narayanganj expressed their annoyance and frustration at the situation that put two candidates of their party face to face. Anwar Hossain, president of Narayanganj city Awami League, said they would never support violence and criminal activities within the party or society.
“When he [Shamim] returned to Narayanganj with criminal cases against him being withdrawn, he became so aggressive that Awami League in Narayanganj instantly became divided,” said Anwar.
“His [Shamim's] extortion network in transport sector, the truck stand and sand trading sectors are known to every single person in Narayanganj. We do not want to be part of criminal politics,” the president of Narayanganj city Awami League said.
The truck stand in question was set up by Shamim Osman from where toll worth about Tk 1 lakh is raised every day. Despite opposition from people from all walks of life and also from the local administration, the truck stand was set up on the main thoroughfare of the city, rendering it almost unusable.
A student of Dhaka University from Narayanganj city said the truck stand is causing untold suffering to commuters every day but none dares to open their mouths.
“Shamim Osman and his family members enjoy popularity among certain class of people who belong to his wide network of underground activities but to the public he is nothing but a criminal in the guise of an Awami Leaguer,” said the student asking not to be named.
A businessman from Bandar area said among the people belonging to the religious minority group, Shamim Osman enjoys popularity. He has ensured their security and protected them from being targeted for tolls.
“But Ivy's reputation as a mayor of the municipality for eight years has shifted support from many of them towards Ivy,” he said.
Shamim Osman plays the same card again and again to defend himself. He said a certain quarter which does not want war criminals to be punished, is trying to tarnish his name. “I welcome anyone to come and tell me what I have done,” he said. “You cannot prove any allegations against me because these allegations are hatched out of conspiracy against me,” Shamim said over and over again during his campaign to be the first mayor of the city.
Shamim knows it well that almost none in Narayanganj has the audacity to confront him on issues of which he is the master. Nonetheless, people of Narayanganj will have the final say on October 30.