Despite the fall of the previous administration and a subsequent “zero-tolerance” proclamation by the new government, the dreaded culture of extortion remains a pervasive reality, with control over lucrative sectors simply shifting hands.
From the transport industry to essential utilities, the “changing of the guard” following the 5 August mass uprising has done little to alleviate the “silent extortion” causing widespread unease across the country.
A shifting of portfolios
The transition of power has seen a swift handover of dominance in the jhut – scrap fabrics from garment factories – dish cable, and internet businesses. This trend is particularly visible in the transport sector, where the collection of illegal tolls continues unabated.
While the BNP-led government has intensified joint force operations and promised organisational action against its own members involved in such crimes, the ground reality remains grim.
The business community has expressed escalating concern. Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed recently noted that, in certain cases, the scale of extortion during the interim government’s tenure has actually exceeded that of the Awami League’s era.
The fear is most palpable among those supplying goods to EPZs and industrial factories, where conflicts for dominance frequently disrupt operations, he added.
Karwan Bazar and the toll on trade
The capital’s kitchen markets remain a primary target for these syndicates. During a meeting with Karwan Bazar businessmen, Dhaka-12 MP Saiful Alam Milon highlighted the severity of the crisis, noting reports that a group of poultry traders was forced to pay Tk60 lakh to a single extortionist.
The violence accompanying these demands has turned lethal. In a brazen attack near Bashundhara Shopping Mall, Md Shafiqur Rahman, a businessman and BNP ward leader, was shot for refusing to pay “protection money”.
Similarly, in the Agargaon slum, an extortionist gang demonstrated its reach by severing gas, water, and electricity supplies to residents who failed to meet their demands.
This climate of intimidation extends to the Jatrabari area, where a “leguna” driver was recently beaten to death for refusing to pay tolls, and conflicts persist over the control of fish and fruit wholesale markets.
Muscle-flexing in the industrial belt
The industrial hubs of Savar and Ashulia have become flashpoints for “jute business” dominance. A recent motorcycle rally in Birulia, allegedly an attempt by Chhatra Dal activists to seize control of a garment factory’s jute business, devolved into a violent clash that left eight people injured.
While the Dhaka District Chhatra Dal has reportedly taken organisational action against some members, the “factory grabbing” continues to haunt the sector. In response, Dhaka-19 MP Dewan Mohammad Salahuddin has launched a 100-day programme to identify and list local extortionists.
Local law enforcement has attempted to push back with high-profile arrests. In Mohammadpur, police paraded an alleged extortionist through the streets after he threatened multiple local businesses.
IGP Baharul Alam has issued stern directives to field-level officers to maintain law and order “at any cost,” regardless of the political affiliation of the perpetrators.
A nationwide scourge
The reach of these syndicates extends far beyond the capital, manifesting in a series of violent confrontations and financial demands across the districts. In Patuakhali, a fruit trader in Mirzaganj was reportedly beaten by a local BNP leader, Sujan Sikder, after refusing a Tk5 lakh extortion demand.
Similar heavy-handedness was reported in Narayanganj, where a private hospital director filed charges against six individuals – including a leader of the Metropolitan Tanti Dal – for demanding Tk20 lakh, while a scrap businessman in the same area was hacked with sharp weapons over a Tk20,000 demand.
The agricultural sector has not been spared either; in Pabna, carrots worth approximately Tk5 lakh were looted from a farmer’s field near the Ishwardi EPZ after he failed to meet a Tk1 lakh payoff.
In Panchagarh, a local BNP ward leader allegedly halted sand-laden tractors to enforce illegal tolls, prompting a police intervention to recover the vehicles.
Further reports from Chattogram involve the arrest of an individual for a Tk50 lakh demand, while in Khulna, a fish trader at the city’s evening market has sought police protection after facing a Tk10 lakh extortion threat.
While the government maintains its stance of “zero tolerance,” the pervasive nature of these incidents suggests that dismantling these deep-rooted syndicates remains a monumental challenge for the current administration.
