RAB arrested Rabiu Islam, 36, vice president of Nandigram upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, with 1,200 yaba tablets in Nandigram, Bogura, on Tuesday night. Officers also seized Tk 3,150 described as proceeds from drug sales. The arrest followed a RAB-12 operation based on information that a person was travelling by CNG auto-rickshaw carrying yaba toward Nundah village.

RAB personnel on patrol set up a checkpoint on the road in front of Mozammel’s house in Nundah village. At about 9pm, they stopped an unnumbered passenger auto-rickshaw. Rabiu, the vehicle’s only passenger, was questioned after arousing suspicion. He reportedly admitted that yaba was kept in a zipper bag in his left trouser pocket, from which the tablets were recovered.

Nandigram upazila Chhatra Dal general secretary Mostafizur Rahman Tarek said the party would not accept responsibility for an individual’s offence and that steps had already been taken to expel Rabiu. Nandigram police station officer-in-charge Tarikul Islam said a case was filed under the Narcotics Control Act and the accused was sent to Bogura court custody.