Abdur Rahman Badi, the Cox’s Bazar MP intensely criticised for his alleged involvement in drug smuggling, has left Bangladesh amid a deadly crackdown on drugs.
Published : 02 Jun 2018, 01:02 AM
Badi reportedly controls the smuggling route for yaba pills from Myanmar and he travelled to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah early in the morning on Friday, one of his aides said.
His Private Secretary Helal Uddin told bdnews24.com the plane carrying Badi reached Makkah around 10:30am Bangladesh time.
The ruling party MP has started performing Umrah and would return home on June 17, Helal said.
Badi’s daughter Samia Rahman and son-in-law Rana Ashraf are also in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, according to Helal.
Badi and some of his relatives are reportedly involved in drug trade.
One of his brothers-in-law, Akter Kamal, was killed in what the law enforcers said was a gun battle between two groups of yaba traders in Teknaf recently amid the war on drugs.
The Department of Narcotics Control under the home ministry said in a report in 2014 that Badi is controlling the principal point of entry through the border for the illegal club-drug yaba, and many others work under him in the illegal trade.
Badi has denied the allegation while the Awami League and the government have asked for proof of his involvement in drug trade as questions over no action against him are swirling.