Extortions continue unabated

Extortions continue unabated on a massive scale in all sectors of industries and business despite an intensified countrywide clampdown by law enforcers after the assumption of office by the Awami League-led government.
Sources said toll collectors and all kinds of extortionists had been active in industrial and business establishments, shopping malls, bus terminals and construction and real estate sectors in the capital.
Intelligence sources said as soon as the elected government came to power, a large number of self-exiled wanted criminals, many of them patronised by influential political leaders, had returned to their turf. The helpless city dwellers could do nothing but falling prey to the gangsters across the city.
Several hundred incidents of extortion occur in the city every day, although most of the cases are not reported to the police stations for fear of criminal reprisal.
Expressing concern over the situation, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner AKM Shahidul Huq told New Age, ‘We always go into instant action as soon as we are informed of any extortion incident… some listed criminals residing abroad often demand toll through their local agents and we try to take legal action against them.’
According to DMP statistics, a total of 14 people were killed and 64 others sustained critical injuries in the city in extortion related incidents between May 1 and May 12.
On Tuesday morning, armed assailants shot dead Mobarak Ali, 55, father-in-law of Delowar Hossain, owner of Tuba Group of Companies, for refusal to pay toll.
‘There is rampant extortions in the transport sector and we cannot break these extortion rackets because that would jeopardise our transport business,’ Shah Mohammad Ashraf Hossain, convener of Mohakhali Bus Terminal Owners’ Association said.
They alleged underlings of most underworld criminals, political leaders and politicised transport associations have resumed their extortion rackets just after the political government assumed power.
The senior vice president of Bangladesh garments manufacturers and exporters association Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin said, ‘If the government fails to control extortions without delay, we will have to close our business.’
Businessmen of different shopping malls also alleged that extortions and overseas calls from most wanted criminals are again on the rise and they already sought support from the law enforcers to protect them from unnecessary harassment by the criminals and extortionists causing hindrance to their business.
Intelligence sources said most wanted criminals, who are staying abroad or behind the bar controlled the extortion syndicate through mobile phones or slip notes through their local agents.
According to the police and RAB intelligence wings, Mohammadpur, Shyamoli Adabar, Dhanmondi, Jigatola, Hazaribagh and Kalyanpur in the city are controlled by self exiled criminal Nabir Hossain Nabi and most wanted criminal Emon, who returned from India and is now behind the bar.
Some parts of Mohammadpur are controlled by the Joseph group whose leader is now in jail, but the group is now led by Boro Manik.
Self exiled gangsters Shahadat, Piyal, Khoshed, Taj, Ibrahim, Tajgir, Kala Aziz, Tepa, Selim, Nahid Lakku and arrested killer Abbas control extortion business in Mirpur, Pallabi and Shah Ali area through their local agents.
Most wanted criminal Jishan, Subrata Bain, Mollah Masud, Arman, Ashiq, Nazim Babu, Joy and Dano Babu control Moghbazar, Badda, Rampura, Tikatuli, Sabujbagh and Badda areas.
Most areas of the old Dhaka, including Lalbagh, Sutrapur, Kotwali, Shyampur, Armanitola and Nayabazar, are controlled by self-exiled criminal Shahid alias Dakat Shahid. Some parts of old Dhaka are controlled by most wanted criminals Aga Shamim and Kajol.
Adilur Rahman Khan, general secretary of human right watchdog Odhikar, told New Age, ‘The law enforcers guided by the political parties could not perform their duty properly, resulting in an upsurge of criminal activities.’
Director general of Rapid Action Battalion Hasan Mahmood Khandaker said, ‘As an elite force, RAB is always committed to curb crimes and we always take instant action against the extortionists.’

Courtesy of NewAgebd