Locals do not know about Arav Khan’s properties

There have been talks about Arav Khan over the past few days in the country.  Recently, several Bangladeshi celebrities from the sports and entertainment arenas went to Dubai of the United Arab Emirates to inaugurate a gold shop ‘Arav Jewellers’ owned by the Bangladeshi expatriate named Arav Khan.

However, Arav Khan is not his real name. His actual name is Rabiul Islam. He hails from Ashutia village under Kotalipara upazila in Gopalganj. Rabiul fled the country after being accused in a case filed on charge of murdering a police member four years ago.

During a visit to Ashutia village, locals told this correspondent that they do not know about the properties and earning sources of Arav Khan.

A hawk, representing the logo of Arav Jewellers, made of 60 kilograms of gold was set up at the inauguration of Arav Jewellers. It took two and a half months to create the logo at a cost of Tk 450 million.

According to Arav Khan’s Facebook posts, he has bought a flat on the 65th floor of the Burj Khalifa. The number of his flat is 6510. Besides, he also owns four to five flats in other upscale areas in Dubai. In addition to that, he owns a duplex house, including a swimming pool and a garden. He often invites Bangladeshi expatriates there for dinner with venison of spotted deer. He also has several high-end cars.

Police officials said Rabiul fled to India after being accused of killing Imran Khan, inspector of police’s special branch (SB) in 2018. He got married there and managed an Indian passport using a fake identity. From there he went to Dubai.

Locals said that no one of his relatives lives at Ashutia village. Local people representatives said if he has illegally acquired wealth, he should be brought under the law.

Local freedom fighter Atiar Rahman said, “We have become astonished seeing news at newspapers. His father Motiur Rahman was a peddler in Khulna. He bought a piece of land at the village and started to live here. His father used to maintain livelihood through agriculture and fishing. Rabiul studied till only class 8 and later he went to Dhaka”.

Hiron Union Parishad Chairman Mazharul Alam Panna said no one lives in their village home now. His two sisters now live in Mollahat of Bagerhat.