Matin Sarkar, a Jubo League leader from Bogura, was arrested in Dhaka.
Matin Sarkar was arrested with firearms and in 2007 was sentenced to 27 years in prison in that case. He was also accused in several murder cases
Abdul Matin Sarkar, a Jubo League leader from Bogura and former municipal councilor, has been arrested in Dhaka. He had been convicted in an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) case and was also a fugitive accused in murder cases linked to the July uprising. Detectives from the Bogura District Police arrested him on Saturday night from a residence in the Bashila area of the capital.
Matin Sarkar previously served as Joint General Secretary of the Bogura City Jubo League. He is the son of the late Mojibur Rahman Sarkar of the Chaksutrapur area in Bogura city. Apart from multiple murder charges, he also faces a dozen or more cases under arms and narcotics laws. Following the July uprising, new charges were brought against him in connection with several murder cases, prompting him to go into hiding.
Bogura District Detective Branch Officer-in-Charge (OC) Iqbal Bahar stated that Matin Sarkar was arrested in Dhaka based on intelligence. “He had gone into hiding after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5. He had been living in the capital with his family,” Bahar said. Matin is now accused in over a dozen cases, including those related to killings during the July–August uprising. Previously, he had also been charged in several other cases involving murder, drugs, and illegal arms.
Earlier this year, on March 11, the Bogura Special Judge’s Court sentenced Abdul Matin Sarkar in absentia to 13 years in prison in an ACC case. He was also fined Tk 22,831,315 for amassing illegal wealth. The court further ordered the confiscation of the same amount from Matin’s unaccounted assets to the state.
The Rise of Matin Sarkar
Abdul Matin Sarkar was born into a poor family and was locally known as “Kasai Matin” (Butcher Matin). His political career began as a bodyguard for Manjurul Alam (alias Mohon), the Joint General Secretary of the Bogura District Awami League.
His fortunes turned after the Awami League came to power in the 2008 national elections. With political backing, he began to establish control over various illegal operations in Bogura city and secured the post of Joint General Secretary of the city’s Jubo League. He was later accused of extortion in the transport sector, illegal land grabbing, rigging government tenders, controlling large market leases, and involvement in drug trafficking. Despite facing multiple cases, he allegedly ruled Bogura with fear. He also became the General Secretary of both the Bogura District Leather Traders’ Association and the Truck Owners’ Association.
In 2000, Matin Sarkar was arrested with firearms and in 2007 was sentenced to 27 years in prison in that case. He was also accused in several murder cases, including:
- He 1998 killing of Md. Rasul in Chaksutrapur,
- The 2001 murder of Abu Naser Uzzal in the same area,
- The 2011 murder of Shafik Chowdhury at the Bogura Trade Fair in Matidali,
- And the 2013 murder of Jubo Dal leader Imran.
In 2012, he was arrested by RAB with drugs but was released shortly afterward.
One of the most notorious incidents linked to his family occurred on July 17, 2017, when his younger brother Tufan Sarkar allegedly abducted and raped a schoolgirl under the pretense of helping with her college admission. Tufan’s wife, elder sister (a female councilor), and his associates later tortured the girl and her mother, even shaving their heads. A case was filed against 10 people including Tufan following the victim’s complaint. It was widely alleged that Tufan acted under the protection of his influential brother, Matin Sarkar. Tufan, who was also sentenced to 13 years in prison in an ACC case, is currently in jail.
Despite his criminal record, Abdul Matin Sarkar was last elected as a councilor for Ward No. 4 of Bogura Municipality.