The news of violence perpetrated by extortionists has now reached the national parliament and the secretarial meeting. Recently, former Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, participating in the discussion regarding the 'attention to matters of urgent public importance' notice in the National Parliament, highlighted that some miscreants in his constituency of Sylhet are regularly extorting money from trucks carrying essential goods. Businessmen are deeply dissatisfied with this activity. He urged the government to halt this extortion and confiscate the money collected through such means.
A few days ago, AK Abdul Momen consistently sided with the government on all matters as the Foreign Minister. Now, he himself is calling for an end to extortion.
The issue of extortion was also raised during the 'secretary meeting' held at the Prime Minister's office on Monday. It is reported that one of the reasons for the increase in the price of goods is extortion during transportation. Consequently, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed the secretaries to implement very strict measures in this regard.
On 1 February, a report in Prothom Alo exposed the alarming extent of extortion in Dhaka. Whether buying land, constructing a house, or conducting business, individuals are forced to pay extortion money to certain groups.
Those who comply with the demands can operate without hindrance, while those who refuse are subjected to harassment. For instance, a shopkeeper in front of Ayesha Super Market on Mazar Road in Mirpur wrote to the DMP Commissioner detailing how he was assaulted and his shop vandalised for failing to pay Tk 200,000 as demanded by the perpetrators.
However, not everyone, like the aforementioned shopkeeper, reports these incidents to the police station or is willing to do so out of fear. Consequently, despite the prevalence of extortion in Dhaka city, many victims refrain from filing formal complaints due to a lack of accessible remedies. Instead, numerous individuals fall victim to extortionist assaults. Over the past seven months, the capital has witnessed 14 reported cases of extortion and assault, resulting in one fatality and nine injuries. These statistics are not just shocking but also indicative of a troubling trend.
It has been alleged that police stations have unofficial directives to avoid registering extortion cases, often recording them as theft incidents instead.
Former Commissioner of DMP, Nayeem Ahmed, emphasised that extortion can be effectively controlled through serious investigation of every complaint and by ensuring that those involved are held accountable under the law. He noted that not all incidents were necessarily registered during his tenure, suggesting potential gaps in addressing extortion-related crimes.
According to reports from Prothom Alo, extortion occurs in various areas of the capital under the guise of fugitive and incarcerated top terrorists. The list of extortionists includes names of leaders and workers affiliated with the ruling party and its allied organisations. Whenever local leaders and activists associated with the ruling party are implicated in extortion incidents, they are expelled from the organisation. However, there is minimal precedent for legal action against the organisation itself, which operates under the guise of these individuals.
There is discussion of demonstrating zero tolerance to prevent extortion from the top echelons of power, but it is not reflected in reality. Extortion is occurring not only in Dhaka or Sylhet, but all over the country. Governments change, new faces replace old ones in the cabinet and parliament, yet the violence of extortionists persists. Where do these extortionists derive their strength? Please enlighten us.