Ohidul Molla started his working life as a mason’s assistant after dropping out of a madrasa before completing his Hifz studies. He later left the job and began pulling a rickshaw to make a living.
But about five years ago, according to his relatives and police, Ohidul gave up rickshaw pulling and became involved in hacking and the drug trade.
Within a short time, he allegedly emerged as a key figure in a local hacking network. He became known in the area as a “hacking guru” and, according to police, several people became involved in hacking after learning the trade from him.
His financial situation also changed rapidly. Within a few years, he built a concrete house beside the Padma River, used expensive cars and established farms for buffaloes and pigeons.
Police arrested Ohidul during a raid on Monday night.
He is the son of the late Robbel Molla of Mohorkoya village under Bilmaria Union in Lalpur upazila of Natore.
The news of his arrest has sparked considerable discussion among local residents. Interviews with his relatives, local residents, public representatives and police on Wednesday shed light on his unusual rise.
From madrasa student to rickshaw puller
Ohidul’s cousin, Sentu Molla, said Ohidul’s father worked in agriculture. As a child, Ohidul studied at a village madrasa.
After his father’s death, however, he left his studies without completing Hifz and began working as a mason’s assistant.
He later left that job and started pulling a rickshaw.
According to Sentu, it was during this period that Ohidul developed close connections with people involved in hacking. About five years ago, he stopped pulling rickshaws and began engaging in hacking activities.
His skills reportedly developed quickly, and his wealth began to grow.
Although his ancestral home is in Mohorkoya, he built a concrete house beside the Padma River in Bilmaria. He also established pigeon and buffalo farms, with livestock and birds reportedly worth hundreds of thousands of taka.
20 CCTV cameras to monitor police
Police and local residents say Ohidul took extensive measures to monitor movement around his property.
He had installed around 20 CCTV cameras from the village’s main road to his house. The cameras allowed him to monitor people approaching the property.
The house was surrounded by high brick walls and had only one entrance gate. Because of its secluded nature, local residents rarely visited the property.
However, residents said young men riding motorcycles from different areas frequently visited the house, particularly late at night.
One neighbour, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he was surprised to see so many CCTV cameras around the property.
When asked why he had installed them, Ohidul reportedly told the neighbour that the cameras were intended to prevent pigeon theft.
A room inside the pigeon house
Ohidul had reportedly arranged a living space inside the pigeon house.
The room contained expensive furniture, an air conditioner and a CCTV monitoring system, according to information gathered during the investigation.
The CCTV system allegedly enabled him to keep watch on the surrounding area and detect the movement of law enforcement officers.
Despite those precautions, police arrested him during Monday night’s operation.
Expensive cars and lavish spending
Local residents also said Ohidul’s lifestyle changed dramatically after he became involved in the alleged illegal activities.
He was frequently seen travelling in expensive cars.
A private-car driver from Lalpur, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Ohidul sometimes hired cars to travel to Pabna and Rajshahi. On some occasions, he would spend the entire night travelling around in a car.
The driver said Ohidul generally did not bargain over fares.
He also reportedly gave generous tips to restaurant workers. According to the driver, he sometimes gave employees between Tk 500 and Tk 1,000 in addition to the regular bill.
68 SIM cards recovered
Lalpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shafiqul Islam described Ohidul as a “hacking guru” in the area.
According to the OC, many people became involved in hacking activities after learning from Ohidul.
Police said they recovered 68 SIM cards from him during his arrest. The SIM cards and associated numbers were allegedly used in hacking operations.
The large number of SIM cards, according to police, was part of the evidence indicating the scale of his alleged activities.
The police officer said the arrest was also intended to send a message to others involved in such activities that attempts to evade law enforcement through surveillance and concealment would not guarantee safety from arrest.
Investigation underway
Ohidul is now in police custody following his arrest. Police are investigating the alleged hacking network, the use of the SIM cards and his alleged involvement in the drug trade.
The allegations against him have not yet been established through a court verdict. His response to the allegations was not immediately available.
The investigation is expected to determine the extent of his alleged involvement and whether others were involved in the network.