Confusion Grips Chattogram Over Missing Politician
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
An unusual incident has sparked curiosity in Chattogram. The whereabouts of former mayor and industrialist M Manzur Alam remain unknown for the past two days. He has not been seen at his office or residence, and his mobile phone remains switched off. Police are also searching for him, alongside journalists. Senior officials have reportedly put field-level police officers under pressure over why they have been unable to trace him.
Is he a victim of abduction? Has someone demanded a large ransom? Neither appears to be the case. So, what has happened? Why has Manzur suddenly gone into hiding?
For the past month, there has been intense discussion that Manzur, known for his ties with both the Awami League and BNP, is set to join the National Citizen Party (NCP). In Chattogram, speculation is widespread that he may even be offered the post of convener of the city unit and could be fielded as the party’s mayoral candidate in the next city corporation election.
On Thursday, as the NCP was scheduled to hold a joining ceremony in Chattogram in the afternoon, Manzur had already gone untraceable since the previous day. It has earlier been reported that due to objections from family members and close associates, he is not currently proceeding with joining the NCP. Despite this, NCP leaders have reportedly not given up on bringing him into the party.
As family pressure and political persuasion continue, Manzur’s whereabouts remain unclear, and police are closely monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, a series of ‘confusing’ statements from the NCP regarding the visit of its central leaders to Chattogram has further increased police curiosity.
In such a situation, at around 12:30 pm, two officers from the Chattogram Metropolitan Police were seen at a key location in the city. Both were assigned to monitor NCP central leaders and Manzur. They had information that NCP convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam, spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, and MP Hasnat Abdullah and MP Abdul Hannan Masud were scheduled to arrive at Chattogram airport by air at 2 pm.
To verify whether they had left Dhaka, a police officer called central NCP leader Sagufta Bushra Mishma. She informed him that the central leaders had travelled to Chattogram by road instead of air and had already reached the city.
Another complication followed. As police tried to locate where the leaders were staying in Chattogram, they received information that the group had gone to the residence of former mayor M Manzur Alam in North Kattali.
Two police officers immediately became tense and stood up from their seats. In a conversation over mobile phone, one officer was heard speaking in the Noakhali dialect: “Where are you? Don’t sleep, man. Quickly send the team to Morshed’s house.”
About 20 minutes later, a follow-up call confirmed that a team from Akbar Shah Police Station had visited the house and found the information to be incorrect. Morshed was not there.
The officer called again, saying, “Check properly, man. I don’t know where he has gone. The boss is putting pressure on me.”
Confusion deepened over Manzur’s whereabouts and the location of the NCP leaders. Under pressure from senior officials, the two officers were reportedly in a state of panic. Information emerged that Manzur had not been going to his office for two days and had also been absent from his home since the previous morning.
The officer from Noakhali then called one of Manzur’s close associates, saying, “Brother, swear on it and tell me clearly, has he joined NCP or not? Where is he?” Receiving no clear answer, he expressed frustration, saying, “Oh, he has also become untraceable.”
Later, new information suggested that NCP leaders from Dhaka were staying at Motel Seagull and that Manzur had headed there. The officers again rushed into action, standing up and preparing to move.
One officer repeatedly kept his phone close to his ear, asking, “Brother, did you send the hotel register photo from this morning? Quickly send it to my WhatsApp, God help us.”
A team from Kotwali Police Station quickly reached Motel Seagull, but once again the information proved incorrect. Police later learned that an NCP leader named Imtiaz Ali was coordinating the central leaders’ visit. Contacting him, they were informed that the central leaders had actually arrived by air.
Information from the airport later confirmed that MP Hasnat Abdullah arrived in Chattogram alone on a US-Bangla Airlines flight. After further verification, it was learned that NCP convener Nahid Islam and other central leaders reached Chattogram by road around 2 pm.
At around 4 pm, Manzur’s son Sarwarul Alam brought an end to the mystery surrounding his father’s disappearance in a conversation with Aagamir Somoy. He said, “My father is not at home or the office. He is staying in a safe place. At this age, he no longer wants to get involved in trouble. Considering business matters, bank loans, and our requests, he has taken this decision.”
On April 14, MP Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the southern region of the NCP, visited Manzur’s residence in North Kattali. After leaving the house in the evening, he came under protest from leaders and activists of the Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal. They criticized him for visiting Morshed’s residence and labelled Morshed a “collaborator of authoritarianism.”
Following the controversy, Chattogram NCP leaders said Hasnat Abdullah had visited with a proposal to make Manzur the convener of the party’s Chattogram metropolitan committee and later nominate him as the mayoral candidate in the city corporation election.
