Nationwide drive over secret Ratargul meeting in Sylhet: 195 accused in case, 16 arrested

Law enforcement agencies have stepped up activity across the country after a secret political meeting at an eco-resort in Ratargul, Gowainghat upazila of Sylhet, came to light. How Ranjit Chandra Sarkar, a former MP of the banned Awami League who had been in hiding, returned to the country, held a meeting and disappeared again has also renewed discussion about border security.

A case has been filed with Gowainghat police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act over the incident. The case names 20 people including Ranjit Sarkar and lists another 175 unidentified people as accused - 195 in total. By Friday (13 November), 16 people had been arrested.

According to the investigation and the case statement, the meeting was held on 8 November at 'Sohel Square Eco Resort' in the Ratargul area. The resort had been rented in the name of an educational tour and picnic. Police say a lawyer named Rokon Mia rented the resort saying he was organising an educational tour.

An educational tour banner was hung there at first, but leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and its associate organisations later gathered. At one stage Ranjit Sarkar appeared and spoke in front of a party banner. The police investigation says he spoke as chief guest at the meeting.

Sources linked to the investigation claim about 150 people were taken there in four buses from Tahirpur and Jadukata areas of Sunamganj. There is an allegation that a political programme was run under the cover of a football tournament and prize-giving ceremony.

The meeting came to light after Ranjit Sarkar published a video on his own Facebook account. At 4:49 pm on 9 November he published a 5-minute 49-second video of the meeting. As the video spread on social media, law enforcement agencies became active.

Immediately after the video was published, police began work to identify those who took part in the meeting. Initial inquiries identified about 60 people, according to various reports.

Late on the night of 11 November, Gowainghat police raided the Sohel Square Eco Resort in Ratargul. After the raid and subsequent action, the resort was locked. Four people, including two resort staff, were detained at the time.

According to the case statement, a banner of the meeting, seven empty liquor bottles and 40 metal objects resembling air-gun pellets were seized from the resort. The banner named Ranjit Sarkar as chief guest. Police say organisers and participants are being identified on the basis of the seized evidence and information from questioning the detained people.

Ranjit Sarkar has been made accused number five in the case. Others named include Tahirpur upazila Awami League organising secretary Ekhlasur Rahman alias Tara Mia, Purba Alirgaon union Awami League general secretary Faruk Ahmad of Gowainghat, and Purba Jaflong union Juba League member Ali Hossain.

Those arrested include banned Chhatra League Gowainghat Government College branch joint general secretary Imran Ahmad, upazila Chhatra League vice-president Amir Uddin, organising secretary Manjur Ahmad, upazila Sramik League general secretary Shahin Ahmad, a ward Awami League general secretary Abdul Karim, Paschim Jaflong union Juba League member Faruk Ahmad and upazila Tanti League vice-president Mastak Ahmad.

In addition, on the night of 12 November, Chhatra League Khadimpara union branch organising secretary Pranoy Sarkar Joy was arrested from the Boteswar area of Sylhet. Sylhet Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Md Afzal Hossain confirmed the arrest.

The most important aspect of the incident is Ranjit Sarkar's entry into and exit from the country. Case information and various reports say he had been in hiding since 5 August 2024. How he entered the country, where he stayed and how he left again is under investigation.

Intelligence sources claim he entered the country using a route in a border area. However, the full process of his entry and return has not yet been independently confirmed. The incident has raised fresh questions about surveillance in border areas, intelligence sharing and coordination among the agencies concerned.

Additional Inspector General of Police (Crime and Operations) Ahsan Habib Palash said the incident is being examined with great importance. Police headquarters has given strict instructions to strengthen security and surveillance in border areas. Police operations are continuing to prevent any illegal entry and any conspiracy to deteriorate the law-and-order situation, he said.

Sources say investigation and arrest drives are now under way to find the meeting's organisers, financiers, participants and alleged collaborator network.