Country tormented by extortion

Banglapress Published: 23 September 2025, 10:25 AM

Bangla Press Desk: Just as discussions around the brutal murder of Old Dhaka businessman Md. Sohag (aka Lal Chand) are still fresh, another shocking extortion case surfaced last Saturday in Gulshan, Dhaka, where individuals claiming to be "coordinators" were caught involved in extortion. This incident has sparked widespread public debate and strong reactions across the country. The government has announced various initiatives to control the situation. Despite the public discussions, extortion continues unabated, causing great distress among businessmen and people from various professions. Those who refuse to pay extortion money face mob violence. Many are operating under the guise of coordinators. Local authorities are reportedly overwhelmed and fearful. In areas like Teknaf, kidnappings occur if extortion money is not paid, with Rohingya groups reportedly acting recklessly as well. Extortion in various forms is now prevalent in most districts of the country. Following a law and order core committee meeting on Monday, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury declared that no extortionist, no matter how influential, will be spared. Last Saturday night in Gulshan, four leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and Democratic Student Council were caught by police while attempting to collect remaining extortion money from former MP Shammi Ahmed’s residence. One of the accused, Abdur Razzak Riyad, a central committee member of the Democratic Student Council, has been building a permanent house in his ancestral village in Noakhali, funded by large sums of money. Locals claim Riyad has amassed considerable wealth, and many such wealthy individuals are being discussed in different circles. Prominent politicians have expressed surprise and concern over this.

In response, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "I read in the newspapers that five coordinators were arrested by police for forcibly extorting 5 million taka from a former MP. I am deeply saddened by this." Umama Fatema, former spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, expressed on a live Facebook video that although July and August were different experiences, the movement is being turned into a money-making machine, which is very unfortunate and ongoing. She became emotional during her speech. Following the extortion incident, all committees of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement except the central one were suspended, and the accused were expelled from the organization. It is known that on July 17, Riyad and others went to Shammi Ahmed’s house in Gulshan and demanded 5 million taka in extortion, identifying themselves as coordinators. They threatened Shammi’s husband, who paid 1 million taka under pressure. When they came to collect the remaining money last Saturday night, police arrested them based on prior information. Shammi Ahmed’s husband, Siddiq Abu Zafar, filed a case against six individuals for extortion at Gulshan Police Station.

While cases, arrests, and reactions continue, extortion is freely ongoing in various parts of the country. Reporters confirm that many are extorting money under coordinator titles in districts like Jhenaidah, Habiganj, Barisal, and Sylhet. Background: On July 9, businessman Md. Sohag (aka Lal Chand) was brutally murdered in broad daylight on a busy street near Mitford Hospital in Dhaka. Before the murder, he was beaten and hit with stones, and his body was mutilated and stripped. Witnesses say the attackers jumped on his body. It was later revealed that he had refused to pay extortion money demanded by some. Police stated the motive was a business dispute. Sohag’s sister, Manjuara Begum, filed a case at Kotwali Police Station on July 10. This article was originally published on Daily Sun.

Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.

B P/SP

[Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.]

Country tormented by extortion

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