Jamaat defends Thakurgaon Ameer, says seized money from business funds

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Wednesday defended its Thakurgaon District Ameer Belal Uddin following his detention at Syedpur Airport in Nilphamari with nearly Tk50 lakh in cash, calling reports surrounding the incident “misleading propaganda.”

The party held an emergency press conference at its central office in Moghbazar, Dhaka, where Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, Jamaat’s central publicity and media secretary, presented the official stance.

He said the seized money belongs to Belal Uddin’s personal business funds and is not linked to any illegal activity.

Belal Uddin, a teacher by profession and involved in the garments business, reportedly told authorities that the cash found in his luggage was part of his business dealings. The money is currently being counted using a machine.

Airport sources said Belal Uddin was stopped during a routine security check at Syedpur Airport in Nilphamari in the morning, and a large amount of cash was discovered in his possession. He was questioned about the source of the funds but reportedly failed to provide immediate satisfactory documentation, prompting his detention.

Advocate Zubair stressed that the situation had been exaggerated in media reports and urged the public to avoid jumping to conclusions.

He added that Belal Uddin resides in Thakurgaon Sadar and maintains a lawful professional and business background.

The party reiterated that the detained Ameer’s funds are intended for legitimate business purposes and called for fair and objective reporting on the matter.