The Alubdi Jhilpar slum in Mirpur's Pallabi has reportedly become a thriving hub for illegal drug and arms trade, with authorities seemingly turning a blind eye to the escalating crisis.
Local residents allege that these illicit activities are orchestrated by Ilias Mollah, a former Awami League MP from Dhaka-16.
Mollah is accused of occupying land allocated by the National Housing Authority (NHA) for journalist housing and using it to construct an illegal slum, where the trade thrives unchecked.
Despite repeated complaints about the absence of surveillance and enforcement, the authorities’ inaction has left the community vulnerable. "We live in constant fear. These trades have made life unbearable, yet no one steps in to help," a local resident lamented.
Community leaders have urged law enforcement agencies to act swiftly to address the issue and restore security in the area.
In 2006, following a directive from then-Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the National Housing Authority (NHA) allocated seven acres of land adjacent to the Jhilpar Mosque in Pallabi for the Dhaka Sangbadik Samabay Samity Limited to provide housing for 300 journalist families.
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After the Awami League government assumed power in 2009, MP Ilias Mollah seized the land illegally.
Mollah built a slum in one section, which he rented out, and established a cattle farm in another. Illegal electricity, gas, and water connections were arranged for the slum, with Mollah’s forces collecting monthly rent.
Though he went into hiding following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, his influence over the slum persists.
Organised Syndicate
The slum’s illegal operations are allegedly run by Mollah's relatives and party affiliates. His nephew, Salman Mollah, oversees much of the trade, including managing slums and shops in the area.
Salman reportedly collects Tk 4 lakh monthly for electricity bills and another Tk 3 lakh from illegal establishments.
On the western side of the slum, figures like Chikon Haris—bodyguard of Mollah's younger brother Ali Mollah—allegedly collect an additional Tk 4 lakh monthly in rent.
Drugs, including yaba and ganja, are sold openly through tong shops operated by associates of local criminal Shamsu, such as Sohel and Faruk Anwar.
Other syndicate members include Fazlu, Salman’s driver, who controls a new road along the lake, and Belal and Masud, staffers of Ali Mollah, who manage areas from the temple to the intersection.
Links to Arms and Terrorism
Residents fear that the slum houses weapons looted from police stations during the August 5 uprising. These weapons may be used in criminal activities across Mirpur.
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"The situation is dire," said Sadrul Hasan, president of Dhaka Sangbadik Samabay Samity Ltd. "Despite multiple appeals to the housing authority, little has been done. When the land was temporarily vacated, Mollah sent his people to demolish structures, and law enforcement failed to intervene."
Impunity and Political Influence
Over the past 16 years, Ilias Mollah has allegedly ruled the constituency with impunity. His influence extends beyond the slum to shops, markets, bus stands, and sidewalks across the area.
Locals claim that complaints against him were often resolved through "arbitration" at his residence, where dissenters faced threats or violence. He is also accused of using his cadres to suppress student movements and other protests in Mirpur.
The residents and community leaders continue to appeal for urgent government intervention to reclaim the land and dismantle the criminal syndicate.