A small tea stall has been set up at the house of former BNP minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury in Gulshan-2 as the leader is absconding.Photo: STAR

An ironic twist of fate after the 1/11 changeover has turned the powerful world of politicians upside down, no matter how horrible or painful the life has become for the people.
Be in power or opposition, the politicians always remained powerful except for last few months when political bigwigs were either arrested on corruption charge or promptly went into hiding.
A makeshift tea stall now represents the Gulshan residence of Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, former commerce minister of the four-party alliance government.
One can buy snacks and groceries from the stall set up by a guard of Khasru, who is on the run since the government launched its massive anti-corruption drive in February 2007.
His former cabinet colleague Shajahan Siraj could not even care about his domestic possessions. Khasru took away all the household stuffs through relatives, but ex-forest and environment minister Siraj just vanished from the scene, leaving everything behind under lock and key.
But Harris Chowdhury is undoubtedly the 'smartest' of all fugitives. The political secretary of detained ex-premier Khaleda Zia and BNP joint secretary general fled the country along with all his belongings long before the caretaker government took office on January 12 last year.
He lived up to his tag as the shrewdest player in the Prime Minister's Office, sniffing an imminent danger in the air much ahead of others now on the corruption list and wasting no time in fleeing to the UK.
Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya is the only convicted fugitive former minister from the Awami League (AL) who along with family fled a year ago leaving his two apartments in Baridhara and all the belongings behind. Maya could only take away three cars.
Like Khasru, Siraj, Harris and Maya, many other politicians, ex-ministers and lawmakers disappeared during the ongoing anti-corruption drive against high-profile graft suspects and their family members.
Intriguingly, most of the big fish convicted so far are still absconding and their relatives remain tight-lipped about their whereabouts. Intelligence agencies and their close circles believe most of them have left the country.
Around 130 high-profile individuals have so far been convicted in 105 graft cases by 10 special courts set up at the MP Hostel in National Parliament Complex by the caretaker government.
Of the convicted, 89 individuals or 68 percent were tried in absentia since the anti-graft drive against the big fish was kicked off.
Those convicted among the fugitives could not appoint counsels in their defence, as the law does not permit it.
Khasru is accused in a graft case, while Siraj and Harris are convicted in several others. The fugitives could not appoint their counsels to defend the cases as all of them are absconding.
Lawyers from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) say the absconding convicted would not be able to file appeals in the High Court as long as they remain fugitive.
The convicted who are absconding include four ex-ministers and one former lawmaker of BNP, one ex-minister and eight ex-MPs of AL and one ex-minister from Jatiya Party.
The BNP ex-ministers and lawmakers are M Morshed Khan, Shahjahan Siraj, Ziaul Haque Zia, Shahjahan Omar, and Rashiduzzaman Millat, AL leaders are Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Sheikh Helal, HBM Iqbal, Haji Selim, Mustafa Rashidi Suja, Makbul Hossain and Mohammad Mohiuddin. Anwar Hossain Manju is the only former minister from Jatiya Party.
Besides these former ministers and lawmakers, many of their spouses and family members are also absconding.
As many as 35 convicted spouses, offspring, and relatives of politicians are absconding. Of the politicians, some are in jail and some are on the run.
Ward commissioners of Dhaka City Corporation Monwar Hossain Dipjol and Chowdhury Alam are absconding along with their spouses and family members.
Some businessmen, ex-government officials and their spouses have also evaded arrest. Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam, his wife and sons are on the run. Orion Group Chairman Obaidul Karim, a convicted businessman, has also gone into hiding.
Besides convicted fugitives, there are many high-profile graft suspects including politicians, government officials and businessmen accused in different cases and are still on the run.
The escape of high-profile graft suspects has put the highly publicised drive into question. Government sources say some fled out of apprehension before the drive began, while some others were given the opportunity to run away.
For example, just before submission of charge sheet in the Gatco-graft case, former finance minister M Saifur Rahman was allowed to go abroad for treatment despite the fact that he would be one of the charge-sheeted accused.
The first list of 50 high-profile graft suspects was made public on February 18, 2007. They were asked to submit their wealth statements to ACC in person. Some of them were arrested while submitting wealth statements and some others were overlooked.
Former BNP lawmaker M Rashiduzzaman Millat along with family submitted wealth statement to ACC on February 20, 2007 and was not arrested. Millat, his wife and their son were convicted in absentia and could not be held.
Though it was repeatedly said the absconding would be brought back, the government had taken no efforts to that end. Sources say the government does not bother with the absconding convicted if they do not return on their own.
Meanwhile, a number of investigators of the army-led taskforces told The Daily Star it would be a tremendous help for them in unearthing large-scale corruption and crime if the absconding convicted are brought back.
They say despite having enough clues and scattered information to corruption and crime by the nexus involving Hawa Bhaban and former prime minister Khaleda Zia's office, they could not bring those on papers as some of the nexus members have evaded arrest.
Tarique Rahman and Giasudding Al Mamun had involvement in large-scale corruption aided by a group of people in Hawa Bhaban and Khaleda's office including Tarique's APS Mia Nuruddin Apu, Khaleda's assignment officer Firoz Mahmud Iqbal and political secretary Harris Chowdhury.
"Had the nexus been arrested or not allowed to escape, it would be much easier to dig out more stories of large-scale corruption by Tarique, Mamun and the nexus," an investigator said asking not to be identified.
DID HARRIS KNOW?
Did Harris Chowdhury know earlier about the present government's anti-corruption drive against politicians, ex-ministers and lawmakers?
The question rose following Harris's mysterious exit leaving his palatial house in Gulshan behind and taking almost all stuffs, even utensils, on December 28, 2006, 16 days before the Fakhruddin-led government took charge, according to security guards of neighbouring houses.
Harris has already lost the house on 2-bigha land, as the public works department has retaken its possession saying he purchased the government house misusing power.
During a recent visit, the house looked just like a deserted palace.
Big bushes in his lawn and gardens and fallen leaves on the road through main entrance indicate that none has touched anything for long.
The two-storey splendid building that he developed after purchasing a one-story building from the government during the BNP-Jamaat-led government still shows how expensive it was to build.
Marble tiles and other materials used to decorate the house are very expensive, says a PWD staff who has been tasked with looking after the house.
Caretakers and guards of a neighbouring house told The Daily Star they witnessed furniture and other stuffs being shifted for at least two weeks before he finally left on December 28.
"They shifted house stuffs in covered vans for 15 days. We just saw covered vans coming and leaving every day until we came across Harris' house helps, who said they were shifting elsewhere," a guard said.
"After December 28, Harris' house helps told us they didn't know where their master has gone. Some days later they said he shifted to another flat and then one day they said he is not in the country," the guard added.
"We have also heard that Harris shifted the stuffs to the house of his father-in-law."
The guards say seven to eight house helps including gardeners used to stay in Harris' house till January. All of them left without getting their salary for the month of December.
"Only a gardener was picked up by the joint forces and detained for two to three months. After his release he said the interrogation was about Harris' whereabouts," said another guard.
The guards also commented that Harris might have had some knowledge about the 1/11 changeover and managed to flee 12 to 14 days before the event.
But the government investigators believe he left before the crackdown on high-profile graft-suspects started and kept his furniture in a relative's house.
The investigators have so far learned that Harris crossed the border through Sylhet and entered Karimganj in India in February.
They said they have information that Harris is now staying in London.
MINISTER'S HOME TURNS TEA STALL
During a visit to Khasru's house, it was found a cup of tea was being sold at Tk 3 there.
"I did not have any work and used to stay idle almost all day long. So I came up with the idea of the tea stall. Now it keeps me busy and gives me an opportunity to earn besides my monthly salary," said Abu Taher, a guard hired from the Arafat Security Guard Company.
Taher and another person from the company were working as guards, though there were some policemen also posted to man the house.
About the former minister's departure, Taher said, "The minister went out with his family on a car one evening in mid-last year."
Johnny, who was 'manager' of this house, had told Taher that Khasru along with family left for London for his treatment.
"After a few days some relatives visited the house and took away all stuffs except a TV and some government ceiling fans," said Taher, adding Johnny and Bimal, another caretaker of the house, left later.
One day a huge number of police came and sealed the house, he said.
When the former minister lived in the house even a dog couldn't dare walk around it. Now the scenario has turned just upside down, Taher said.
He said another car the ex-minister left behind was taken to his hotel Sabina in Banani from where Taher draws his monthly salary.
A court notice now hangs in the wall of Khasru's house.
The notice signed by Metropolitan Sessions Judge Md Azizul Haque on September 8, 2006 reads: "The court has rationale to believe that you [Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury] are absconding to evade trial and there is no possibility that might led to your immediate arrest… You have been directed to appear before this court in the mentioned case within three days after this notice is served."
POLICE NO MORE AFTER SIRAJ
Jahangir Hawlader has nothing to do except sitting idle by the road in front of the palatial two-storey Gulshan house of ex-minister Shajahan Siraj. He was appointed a year ago to look after the house as Siraj disappeared suddenly with his wife and family members.
The building is totally locked and Jahangir has no keys to go inside. He lives in a room built outside the main building.
Siraj, his wife Rabeya Haider and son Rajib Siraj have been convicted on different terms in separate graft cases.
"At first we did not notice that they fled as they had left home in the way they always did. After a few days we realised that something had happened," said a neighbour's guard.
Jahangir had to face police several times. Sometimes the police "rebuked" him while enquiring about the whereabouts of Siraj's family.
"The police insisted that as I work for them, I must know where they live now. But I really don't know where they are. But I believe they are not in Bangladesh."
"Even the police have stopped coming for the last five months," he said.
Siraj's daughter who lives in her house in Gulshan appointed Jahangir at Tk 3,500 per month.
"If police or someone else visits the house and leaves any message or any letter arrives, my duty is to pass it to her."
ONE OF MAYA'S APARTMENTS SEALED
Maya has two apartments at Moriom Tower in Baridhara where he used to live along with his wife and two sons.
The tower's security guards say they could not even sense when Maya left the apartment with three cars and leaving all the belongings behind.
The guards also say eight to ten house staffs including driver and house help of Maya also left gradually. The apartment officials said they also have not got different utility bills and service charges since Maya left.
The joint forces have sealed one apartment, while the other is very often visited by Maya's younger son Ronny.
Maya's wife, younger son Rashedul Hossain Chowdhury and daughter-in-law Suborna Chowdhury were acquitted in graft cases filed against them, while his elder son Dipu Chowdhury is convicted in a graft case.