It is disturbing to know that extortion has taken a severe turn in the country. From industrial owners to footpath hawkers, no one is safe from the hands of extortionists.
Whether the business is running or closed, it doesn’t matter to the extortionists. They have to pay the extortion. Otherwise, they will have to face grave consequence. Not only businessmen, but ordinary people are also victims of the extortionists.
According to media reports, large sums of money are collected in various other fields including land sales, weddings, and social events. At the village level, fish farming and chicken farming are also not exempted from extortion. However, the situation of businessmen is the most deplorable. Besides, various aspects of the endless suffering and existential crisis of businessmen have come to light.
Reportedly, a few days ago, terrorists in extortion in various ways.the city’s Pallabi area have threatened a businessman for extortion, saying, “You are a big businessman. Give us five crore taka, otherwise, you will be killed. Your family will not survive.” The terrorists shot the businessman in the leg after not receiving the ransom money as demanded. After that, he is in extreme fear.
This is not only in the case of the businessman from the capital, but many such incidents have occurred across the country.
A prominent female entrepreneur from Chattogram, who did not want to be named out of fear, said that the top criminals of the city had demanded a ransom of one crore taka from her. They had threatened several times to kill her entire family if the ransom was not received. She and her entire family are now in fear.
Information has been received about reckless extortion from the footpath hawkers in various areas in the capital, including Karwan Bazar, Gulistan, New Market, Mirpur, Jatrabari, Tejgaon, Uttara, Motijheel and Old Dhaka. These footpath hawkers from all these areas said they donate between 100 and 500 taka every day.
They said that if they do not pay the demanded extortion, they are attacked by terrorists. Sources say that more than a hundred people have been killed across the country in the last 14 months in extortion cases. At least 20 have been killed in the capital alone.
We believe immediate steps must be taken to improve the law and order situation. For this, there must be a strong political commitment. They must cease patronising extortionists and take genuine stance against them. Only then people will get relief.
