Extortion in collusion in Mirpur

From Mirpur-10 roundabout to Section 13 in the capital, hundreds of shops occupy the roads and footpaths. Just ahead are several schools. Around those, rows of shops occupy the roads and alleyways, taking over both streets and footpaths. It appears as if the entire stretch is one continuous marketplace.

The roads belong to the city corporation. The shops belong to hawkers. But extortion is collected there by some local BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) leaders and activists and criminals. Day after day, the shops are set up in front of the police. The matter of extortion is also not unknown to the police station. Yet neither are the shops evicted nor is extortion stopped.

A report by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) itself says that some police officials receive a share of the money by allowing extortion to continue. That means extortion is running in collusion of some local ruling party leaders and some of the law enforcement agency personnel.

The DMP prepared this report last March, listing extortion spots and extortionists in Dhaka. The list was compiled jointly by police stations, the Detective Branch (DB), the Special Branch (SB), and the DMP Commissioner’s intelligence unit. The list mentions 1,280 people involved in extortion. It also names 314 individuals as patrons and facilitators. Police say new names are being added regularly.

Analysis of data shows that most extortionists in the police list across Dhaka are local leaders and activists of the BNP or identify themselves as affiliated with BNP politics while some are criminals. There are also some leaders and activists of other parties. In many cases, no political or other identity has been mentioned.

This list has been obtained by Prothom Alo. Based on analysis of the list and field investigation, a series of three reports has been prepared. This report, first of the series, is about extortion in Mirpur.

According to the police list, there are more than 150 extortion spots across seven police station areas under the Mirpur zone of DMP. A total of 72 people are involved in collecting extortion from these spots. There are 25 patrons of these extortionists.

During the interim government period and before the elections, opponents tried to portray the BNP as a party of extortionists. At that time, the BNP took organisational action against those involved in extortion. But the police did not take such action.

On 4 March, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed held a meeting with senior officials at the DMP headquarters. He told journalists that a list of extortionists would be prepared and legal action would be taken against them.

Police sources said that after preparing the list, and following signals from higher authorities, police have started operations against extortionists. The list has been sent to DMP deputy commissioners. Since 1 May, 100 listed extortionists and 174 associates have been arrested in operations.

DMP Additional Commissioner SN Md Nazrul Islam told Prothom Alo that no one will be spared if they engage in extortion. If specific information is found against any police member, departmental action will be taken. The government is also taking a strict position.

According to the police list, there are nearly 150 extortion spots in Mirpur, Gabtoli, Shah Ali, Pallabi, Kafrul, Darus Salam, Rupnagar and Bhashantek police station areas.

Extortion takes place at bus counters in Gabtoli terminal, food shops, illegal bus-truck parking on main roads, battery-run auto-rickshaw garages, laguna stands, scrap shops, internet connection businesses, waste businesses, garment factories, leftover cloth businesses, building construction, mobile shops, makeshift markets on government land, slum housing, illegal electricity connections on footpaths, coal and sand businesses, and more.

The police list says that 72 individuals collect extortion in these seven police station areas. Among them are former and current leaders and activists of BNP, Jubo Dal, and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal of thana and ward levels. There are 25 patrons, at least 20 of whom are involved in BNP politics.

On 16 April, 2026, under the metro rail station at Mirpur-10, a middle-aged man was selling clothes on the footpath. After asking about business and bargaining over clothes, he was asked whether money had to be paid to set up a shop on the footpath. He said that for each electric bulb, Tk 50 has to be paid daily. His shop has two bulbs, so he pays Tk 100 per day. In addition, another Tk 100 has to be paid for setting up the shop.

On condition of anonymity, the hawker said he could not set up his shop for seven days due to eviction drives. But after reopening, he had to pay for those seven days as well.

On that day, five hawkers in the Mirpur-10 area said that depending on location and size, extortion ranges from Tk 100 to Tk 300 per day. Usually in the afternoon or evening, a designated person comes to collect the money, known as a “lineman.”

According to the police list, from Mirpur-10 to Section 13, including the lane of Hope International School and the area of Senpara Parbata Government Primary School, there are around 1,400 to 1,700 shops on roads and footpaths. Assuming 1,500 shops and an average daily extortion of Tk 200 per shop, the monthly collection stands at Tk 9 million.

According to police information, money from these footpath shops is collected by listed top criminal Abbas Ali, his associate Md Taj, his nephew Md Sohel, former Mirpur thana Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Hasan Sohel, and Jubo Dal activists Jewel and Babul. It is alleged that Mirpur police station officer-in-charge Mohammad Golam Azam takes a share through sub-inspector Tarikul Islam.

When asked about the allegations, OC Golam Azam said he has no knowledge of who collects extortion or who receives shares. He, however, was withdrawn on 1 May over a separate bribery allegation. SI Tarikul Islam said that such an allegation had been made against him when he was the second officer, and he later left that post. He claimed he has no involvement in extortion.

However, several officials of DMP’s Mirpur division, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that OCs benefit and therefore oppose eviction of footpath shops. They said whoever is in charge as OC receives a share of the extortion money.

Top-listed criminal Abbas was released on bail after 5 August, 2024. Police say he later went abroad and controls a large portion of extortion and other crimes in Mirpur from there. Sources say earlier Awami League leaders and activists received a share, and now some local BNP leaders and activists do. 

To obtain statements from Md Sohel, Jubo Dal activist Jewel, and Babul—who are involved in collecting extortion on behalf of Abbas—multiple attempts were made to contact them by mobile phone. However, they did not answer. It was possible to speak with Rakibul Hasan Sohel, former president of Mirpur thana Chhatra Dal. He told Prothom Alo that he is not involved in extortion. However, he does not know whether anyone collects extortion in his name.

Based on the police list and on-site investigation, it has been found that from Shah Ali Mazar to Shah Ali School and College at Mirpur-1, around 100 shops are set up on the footpath and extortion is collected. From these shops, about Tk 170,000 is collected per month at a rate of Tk 300 to Tk 350 per day by Soleman Dewan, former joint convener of BNP’s Shah Ali thana unit.

Soleman Dewan told Prothom Alo that he is not involved in any unethical activities. However, the police list and local sources say that extortion operates under his control. It is alleged that the OC Md Jahangir Alam takes a share of this extortion money through Shah Ali thana Sub-Inspector Tapan Chowdhury. Both of them denied the allegations. Jahangir Alam told Prothom Alo, “I challenge that I have no involvement in extortion.”

In Mirpur-1 area, a laguna stand has been set up by occupying the main road. From Mirpur-1 to the southern junction of Shah Ali Mazar Road, around 30 lagunas operate. Investigation found that Tk 200 per laguna is collected daily, amounting to Tk 180,000 per month in extortion.

According to police list information, the laguna stand has been set up by occupying the road by “managing” traffic police members of the Mirpur division. Extortion from lagunas is collected in the name of Mostafa Jaglul Pasha, former member secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan north Jubo Dal. He claims he is not involved in extortion.

However, several laguna drivers, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that a “lineman” named Imon collects the extortion money from the lagunas every afternoon or night. The money is collected in the name of Jaglul Pasha.

On 12 July last year, an armed group attacked a real estate company named AK Builders in Pallabi. During the attack, an official named Shariful Islam was injured by gunfire. Police said the attack followed a demand for Tk 50 million in extortion. It was linked to Mofizur Rahman Mamun, president of BNP in ward No. 91 of Dhaka North City Corporation.

Local sources and police say Mamun has a group called “Mamun Bahini.” They collect extortion from real estate developers, footpaths, markets, slums, garment factories and also control the scrap business.

Police and local sources say Mamun is now abroad and continues to control extortion and other crimes through his group. On his behalf, extortion is collected in Pallabi by Masum Billah alias Bhagne Masum, Monir, Bappi, Lalchan and Munna.

An engineer at a business in Kalshi said that during the last Ramadan, members of Mamun’s group demanded Tk 100,000 per month. After informing police, Mamun threatened him over phone from a foreign number. Later, through a local BNP leader, the amount was reduced to Tk 20,000 per month. The money is collected in the first week of each month.

Whenever construction or land transactions take place in Pallabi, Mamun’s group appears. For example, a man named Zahidul Islam filed a complaint on Monday stating that on 30 April he was demanded Tk 5 million while starting construction on his own land and was threatened with death.

In the Pallabi area, besides the “Mamun Bahini,” the police list also includes the names of other extortionists. According to police information, in the Jhilpar slum of Arambagh Bagan Bari area in Rupnagar, around 350 households have illegal electricity, gas, and water connections. At a rate of Tk 1,000 per household per month, about Tk 350,000 is collected. This money is collected by Nur Salam, president of Pallabi thana Jubo Dal.

A female resident of Jhilpar slum, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that two individuals named Jony and Khokon provide these connections. In addition to house rent, Tk 1,000 per month has to be paid for electricity, gas, and water.

Multiple attempts were made to contact Nur Salam, president of Pallabi thana unit Jubo Dal, to get his statement regarding the allegations. He could not be reached on his mobile phone.

According to information from the police list, there is another slum named Jhilpar in the Rupnagar residential area, with around 1,200 houses. There, by providing illegal electricity, gas, and water connections, Tk 1.2 million is collected monthly as extortion. This money is collected by a person named Sajedul Islam (Tutul), identified as a source of the OC of Rupnagar police station. He is the member secretary of Rupnagar Thana Swechchhasebak Dal.

Sajedul claimed to Prothom Alo that he is a contractor and not involved with any extortion.

In Gabtoli of the capital, there are various bus counters outside the inter-district bus terminal. There are also shops of various goods on the footpaths. According to sources among local BNP leaders, the leaseholder of the terminal is Arat Hanif, son of Md Hanif, owner of Hanif Paribahan. Although the lease is in his name on paper, it is controlled by Md Hanif.

Sources further say that the leaseholder’s men collect extortion from the footpaths, bus counters, and hotels around the Gabtoli bus terminal. Those involved in collecting extortion include Md Masum, general secretary of Darus Salam thana unit of the Jatiya Party, and his associate Mofazzal, former publicity secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan north Sramik League. Mofazzal is also an electrician appointed by Dhaka North City Corporation.

Masum told Prothom Alo that he has a share in the lease of the Gabtoli terminal. Electricity bills and rent are collected from shops inside the terminal. No money is collected from the footpaths.

When contacted, Arat Hanif told Prothom Alo that he does not know about the matter and suggested speaking with his father. His father, Md Hanif, told Prothom Alo over the phone on 5 May that lease money is collected legally from leased shops. However, he said he would look into whether money is collected from shops outside that.

He added that due to the large number of shops at the terminal, space for buses is reduced, and those shops will be evicted.

A hawker in the Gabtoli terminal area, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo on 28 April that business can only be done by paying money. If money is not paid, they are not allowed to set up shops

From the Gabtoli bus terminal, before reaching Aminbazar Bridge, an embankment road branches off to the left toward Hazaribagh. On both sides of this road, there are many shops selling sand, bricks, and stone chips. These informally established businesses are regularly subjected to extortion by influential individuals.

After proceeding some distance along the embankment road from Gabtoli, there is a place called Dipnagar. There are 10 sand depots (where sand is piled and sold). Visiting the area on 28 April,  a sand trader, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that after 5 August, 2024, sand and brick depots were set up on filled government land and rented out.

According to the police list, from these sand depots set up on government land, Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000 per month is collected by Sajjadul Miraj, member secretary of Dhaka City North Jubo Dal. Attempts to obtain his statement regarding the allegation were unsuccessful.

Aminul Haque, convener of Dhaka City North BNP, told Prothom Alo that a zero-tolerance policy has been adopted regarding extortion. No party leader or activist will be spared if found involved.

Overall, it is seen that extortionists collect money mainly from businesses and services where questions of legality exist. Criminals and criminal groups, alongside these, also collect extortion from businesspersons.

Analysts say that after eviction, shops return to the footpaths. Completely removing them also raises the issue of livelihood for a large number of people. In that case, what is necessary is management and discipline. The city corporation can ensure smooth pedestrian movement on part of the footpath and allow shops in another part. On the other hand, electricity and water connections in slums should be provided legally. At present, slum dwellers have to spend a lot to access these services.

Adil Muhammad Khan, executive director of the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD), told Prothom Alo that there are solutions to these issues. However, there is a lack of state will in implementing them. The nexus between extortionist political leaders and activists and the police acts as a barrier. Because if solutions are implemented, the money would go to the state treasury instead of to extortionists.

Adil Muhammad Khan also said that in some cases there is no scope to legalise illegal activities; those must be suppressed firmly.