Rajshahi's daredevil drug dealer

Aziza Begum started her life as a domestic aide, but in the course of time, has established herself as one of Rajshahi's most notorious drug peddlers, selling narcotics.

She was arrested nine times in the last four years, but managed to secure bail and continue her business, until she was apprehended on the night of May 23, and even from the special drive could not be contained without a fight. She first charged at policemen with a machete when approached, and after being caught and on the way to the police station, pushed off a policewoman and attempted to flee, before she was shot in the leg.

During arrest, police found 60 yaba tablets in her possession.

Aziza began working at the house of policeman Monirul Islam, and now lives in the city's Tultulipara across the street from the house of Monirul, and his brother Mokhlesur Rahman -- who maintains her supply chain. The information was divulged by a police officer to this correspondent, following Aziza's arrest.

The officer, who requested anonymity, said Aziza revealed the names of Monirul and Mokhlesur during primary interrogation.

Monirul worked as a havildar in Rajshahi in early 2000s, and is now stationed in Dhaka according to sources in the police department. On the other hand, the family of his brother Mokhlesur could not say what Mokhlesur's profession is.

Meanwhile, Monirul denied any acquaintance with Aziza. “I don't know any woman by that name; she never worked at our home,” he told The Daily Star.

This correspondent visited their four-story house in Tultulipara, one of the drug hotspots in Rajshahi city, a day after Aziza's arrest. Monirul and Mokhlesur live with their families in two flats of the house. But none of them were home on the day.

However, contradicting Monirul's claim, Mokhlesur's wife Mili acknowledged that Aziza did use to work at their house. She could not say where his husband was at that moment and what his profession is. Mokhlesur's whereabouts are unknown, while his cell phone has also remained switched off since the drive.

The next day, Monirul called up this correspondent and even before he was asked any question, he angrily said neither he nor anyone in his family were engaged in drug peddling. He also said his house was not used for any drug trade.

Talking to The Daily Star, spokesperson of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Iftekhair Alam confirmed that Aziza gave the information and said they would work on it.

Aziza could not say the exact time when she worked at Monirul's house, but told police that she remained engaged in drug peddling for several years until she was arrested for the first time in October 2014. She was caught for a second time with heroin a month after her first arrest. She was arrested twice in April and September of 2015 and twice more in July and November in 2016. In 2017, Aziza was arrested three times -- in May, October and November.

Aziza was accused under the Narcotics Control Act every time she was arrested with drugs. Her name is still on charge-sheets of nine cases.

Aziza's notoriety is widespread in the city. Talking to The Daily Star, a 35-year-old resident of Tultulipara said, “We are afraid of her because she sells drugs to people of all ages.”

“I have teenage nephews who go to school. How can we raise them in this kind of an environment?” he said.

Aziza was admitted to the surgery ward of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for treatment of her bullet injury.

Last Thursday night, this correspondent visited the hospital where he saw Aziza lying in a paying bed, unlike many other patients who could not avail any bed and were receiving treatment lying on the floor.

Amid security by armed policemen, her relatives were seen attending to her.