NN Online:
Just days after nationwide outrage over the murder of a scrap trader in Old Dhaka, another violent extortion-related incident occurred in the capital—this time at a real estate company in Pallabi.
On Saturday, July 12, around 5 PM, armed men launched an attack on AK Builders, a housing construction firm located in the Alubdirtek area. According to company officials, the attack followed threats and a Tk 5 crore ransom demand made three weeks ago.
During the assault, attackers fired four gunshots, injuring an employee named Shariful Islam, who is now undergoing treatment at Kurmitola General Hospital.
Amimul Ehsan, son of AK Builders Chairman Md. Qayum Ali Khan, said an individual named Jamil had initially demanded the ransom. After the family refused, a series of violent attacks began—on June 27, July 4, and again on July 11—when a group of 30 to 40 armed men stormed the office, looting property and shooting an employee.
The company also reported theft of CCTV cameras during earlier phases of the attack.
Pallabi Zone Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Saleh Mohammad Zakaria confirmed to Jago News that a case is being prepared. “The injured staff member will file a case once he’s stable. We are working swiftly to identify and arrest the culprits,” he said.
Chairman Qayum Ali Khan had earlier filed a General Diary (GD) with Pallabi Police Station on Thursday, outlining repeated threats and details of previous attacks.
This latest attack comes in the wake of the gruesome Mitford murder, where Lal Chand alias Sohag, a 39-year-old scrap trader, was beaten to death in broad daylight—allegedly for refusing to pay a Tk 2 lakh monthly extortion.
While police investigations into the Pallabi shooting continue, the repeated nature of extortion-driven violence is raising serious concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of law enforcement.
