In a bold extortion attempt in Baraigram upazila’s Ahmadpur Bazaar, a group led by local political activists locked up ten shops after the owners reportedly refused to pay monthly extortion. Law enforcement authorities, backed by army personnel, have arrested four individuals in connection with the incident, including a local Jamaat-e-Islami leader.The accused are Ruhul Amin (45), president of Jamaat’s ward committee in Joari Union; his brother Azim Uddin (40), a Jamaat activist; local BNP member Haidar Ali (45); and Haidar’s father Mujibur Rahman (70). All four were detained Monday evening during a joint raid and were sent to court on Tuesday morning.According to Baraigram police and victims’ statements, three residents of Naopara village — Korban Ali, Shah Alam, and Motaleb Hossain — legally purchased land in Ahmadpur Bazaar and built ten shops on it. Holding valid land records under both SA and RS surveys, they have reportedly been paying taxes and occupying the property for over 70 years.On Monday around 11 am, Ruhul Amin and his group, numbering between 40 and 50 and allegedly armed with sticks, descended on the market and demanded Tk 5,000 per shop per month as “rent.” When the owners refused, the group locked up all ten shops and threatened physical harm if the stores were reopened.The victims promptly filed complaints with the local army camp and Baraigram police. A joint operation was launched in the evening, during which the shops were freed and returned to the original owners, while the four key accused were apprehended.Motaleb Hossain, one of the victims, told Gonotaar:“Abdul Malek, Jamaat-e-Islami’s union president, fixed the extortion amount at Tk 5,000 per shop per month. We refused since this land has been in our possession for seven decades. In retaliation, they padlocked our shops. Thanks to the swift response of the army and police, we got them back.”Ruhul Amin, however, denied the extortion allegation prior to his arrest, claiming instead that the land belonged to him and had been out of his possession for long. “We only demanded rent, not extortion. But I admit we shouldn’t have locked the shops,” he said.Baraigram Police Station Officer-in-Charge Golam Sarwar Hossain confirmed that a case of extortion has been filed. “The army handed over four detainees to us. They have been shown arrested and presented before the court.”
Jamaat Leader Arrested for Extortion: 10 Shops Locked Over ‘Chanda’ Dispute
