Arrest of student leader raises eyebrows

Abdur Razzak, also known as Riyad, a central committee member of the Bangladesh Democratic Student Council, has been placed on a seven-day remand after being arrested in connection with an extortion case in Dhaka’s Gulshan.

He was detained along with four others on Saturday night from the residence of former Member of Parliament Shammi Ahmed. The incident has sparked widespread discussions both in the capital and in his home district.

Following the arrest, attention shifted to Razzak’s ancestral home in Senbagh, Noakhali, where a concrete building is under construction.

The single-story structure, comprising four rooms, began construction about two and a half months ago, and the roof was completed last week. The project has raised eyebrows in the locality, as residents question how a student from a modest background could afford such development, Prothom Alo reports.

Locals described Razzak as someone who grew up in financial hardship, with his father previously working as a rickshaw puller. Until recently, the family lived in a small tin-shed house, which was destroyed during last year’s floods.

Razzak’s parents claim that the new house is being built with savings, loans, and financial help from relatives and NGOs. They insist their son had no role in funding the construction, dismissing allegations linking it to illicit earnings.

Razzak, currently a student at a private university in Dhaka, entered student politics a few years ago and rose to prominence after becoming a coordinator last August.

His rapid political rise, coupled with the new building and reports of an expensive motorbike purchase, has fueled speculation in the area. Some residents allege that his sudden change in lifestyle coincides with his involvement in political activities.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Democratic Student Council has expelled Razzak following his arrest.

The organization, which emerged earlier this year from the platform of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, announced a temporary suspension of all local committee activities except the central body amid the growing controversy.

The case has drawn significant public attention, raising broader questions about the links between student politics, financial transparency, and criminal activities.