BNP Leader Advocate Ziaul Hasan Swapan Arrested in Gazipur on Extortion Charges

Police in Tongi, Gazipur, have arrested Advocate Ziaul Hasan Swapan, a former BNP leader, on charges of extortion. Swapan, a former joint general secretary of Gazipur Metropolitan BNP and a member of the district bar association, was apprehended on Sunday (July 6) around 2:30 PM from a restaurant in the Dattapara area of Tongi.

According to police sources, Swapan, a practicing lawyer, allegedly used his former BNP leader status to intimidate and extort large sums of money from local businessmen, teachers, and ordinary citizens by threatening to implicate them in lawsuits. He is also named in an attempted murder case filed at Badda police station in Dhaka related to the anti-discrimination student movement.

Local and party sources revealed that Swapan, a former general secretary of the Tongi Government College student union, no longer holds any official party position but continued to exert influence in the area using his "former BNP leader" identity. Allegations state that he built close ties with influential Awami League leaders to secure various benefits. Following the student-public movement in July-August, complaints of extortion, case-fixing, and threats by Swapan escalated. It is alleged that Swapan targeted teachers, landlords, and businessmen, extorting money by threatening to frame them in lawsuits. He reportedly demanded cash, expensive mobile phones, or business partnerships, resorting to abusive language and threats if his demands were not met. Several audio recordings related to these incidents have gone viral on social media, causing significant resentment among BNP activists. Residents and BNP members in Tongi have expressed that Swapan’s actions have severely damaged the party’s reputation. Despite not holding any official position, he continued these activities under the guise of being a BNP leader. There are two cases and multiple written complaints against him at the Tongi East police station.

Tongi East Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Faridul Islam stated that Swapan was arrested on Sunday afternoon following a tip-off, during a raid at a restaurant in Dattapara. He faces four extortion cases at the police station. After initial questioning, he will be presented in court on Monday (July 7) with a remand application.