Police have said that Belal Uddin Pradhan, Ameer of the Thakurgaon district unit of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, was carrying Tk 7.4 million when he was detained at Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari.

He was detained with the money at around 11am on Wednesday (February 11), the day before the election.

Saidpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rezaul Karim said, “The total amount of money recovered is Tk 7.4 million. Legal proceedings are underway. Belal Uddin Pradhan, Ameer of the Thakurgaon district Jamaat, has been detained. Based on intelligence information, the army detained him at the airport and informed the police station.”

Earlier, Nilphamari Superintendent of Police Sheikh Zahidul Islam said Belal Uddin, the Thakurgaon district Jamaat Ameer, had been detained at the airport. The detainee had said he was carrying more than Tk 5 million. Police had not yet counted the money, and the cash would be counted in the presence of everyone concerned, he added.

Police later confirmed that the amount totalled Tk 7.4 million.

Sources in the law enforcement agencies said Belal Uddin had travelled from Dhaka to Saidpur Airport on a flight. He was detained following intelligence information that he was carrying approximately Tk 4 million in his bag. Abdul Mannan, office secretary of the Thakurgaon district Jamaat unit, was with him at the airport but was not detained.

After detaining the district Jamaat Ameer with what was initially described as “more than Tk 5 million”, law enforcement personnel conducted preliminary questioning. Belal Uddin said he lived in Hajipara in Thakurgaon Sadar and worked as a teacher.

Asked how much money was in his bag, the Jamaat leader said, “There is Tk 5–6 million here—more than Tk 5 million.” When asked about the source of the money, he said it was related to business and the garment industry.

Belal Uddin fell ill during questioning and was initially admitted to the 100-bed Saidpur Hospital. Nazmul Huda, the hospital’s resident medical officer (RMO), said Belal Uddin had complained of chest pain. He was subsequently referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

Nilphamari Superintendent of Police Sheikh Zahidul Islam said Belal Uddin was being questioned about the source of the recovered money and its intended use. The matter was being investigated seriously, he added.

The district police and relevant intelligence agencies are treating the transportation of such a large sum of money during the election period as a highly sensitive matter.