Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud on Monday acknowledged that the level of extortion in the country has not significantly changed compared to the previous Awami League regime. “Corruption itself is an economy,” he said while briefing reporters at the NEC conference room on the outcome of the Ecnec meeting. In this regard, the Adviser mentioned that if there is a large number of archways being built or a huge number of people being transported by bus, it also creates a flow of money. “Money also circulates in the politics of patronage and tender politics. Those activities have, I do not know, surely been reduced.” Govt prioritising quality over quantity in development spending: Planning Adviser He said that the wastage associated with evil politics temporarily created a flow of money in the current economy. “But that does not mean that these practices need to be reintroduced again.” The Planning Adviser said that economic activities in rural areas need to be further reactivated if employment generation is to be ensured. “Generally, there is a scarcity of employment (in the country),” he added.

Two policemen have been arrested from Dhaka’s Sher-e-Banglanagar area in the capital on charges of extortion and kidnapping. The arrestees are sub-inspectors Tuhin Kazi and Moshiur Rahman Taposh. Both were posted at Mirpur Shah Ali Police Station in the capital. Woman arriving from Dubai arrested with over 8 kg gold at Dhaka airport They have already been suspended after primary investigation. Being informed, a team of police from Sher-e-Banglanagar police station arrested them on Tuesday night on charges of extortion after kidnapping. Later, both of them were shown arrested in a case filed at the police station by one Shahadat Sarker. BCL leader arrested for threatening independent candidate in Narsingdi Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sher-e-Banglanagar police station Ahad Ali, confirmed the matter. They were produced before a Dhaka court on Wednesday with a remand plea. After the hearing, the court put them on a three-day remand each, the OC said. 3 AL men arrested for attacking independent candidate's supporter in Rajshahi Contacted, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Mirpur Division, DMP, Jasim Uddin, said legal procedure has been completed against the two SIs as primary investigation found the allegation against them to be true.

Dhaka, Mar 23 (UNB)- Dhallywood star Shakib Khan on Thursday (March 23, 2023) filed a case against film producer Rahmat Ullah over murder attempt and extortion. The actor filed the case with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Arafatul Rakib, confirmed his lawyer Tanvir Ahmed. Read more: Shakib Khan goes to DB, files written complaint against allegations of rape After recording the plaintiff's statement, the court summoned Rahmat Ullah to appear before it on April 26, said Tanvir. Earlier on Sunday, Shakib went to the Detective Branch (DB) office of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and filed a written complaint against Rahmat Ullah who brought a rape allegation against him. On March 15, Rahmat Ullah filed a written complaint against the actor in the Bangladesh Film Artists Association, accusing him of sexual misconduct and raping an Australian woman, a co-producer of the film "Operation Agneepath". Read More: Film Rajkumar: Everything about Shakib Khan’s Upcoming Movie with US Actress

A police officer in Munshiganj was ‘closed’ and attached to the district police line for allegedly trying to extort money through threats of crossfire from a businessman. The accused is Mohammad Suman, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Gazaria police station. Mahfuzur Rahman Al Mamun, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Munshiganj, said the officer was closed and attached to the district police line today. The businessman, Shakil Farazi, said the police officer informed him on Sunday that a narcotic case was filed against him at Narayanganj port police station. The ASI picked him up on a white microbus on Monday morning, he said. The microbus went to a remote area of Char Baushia area. Shakil said there were three other persons in the microbus- constable Rafiqul, unidentified man who claimed to be an ASI, and the driver. “They held me at gunpoint and demanded TK 2 lakh,” he said. They snatched away his mobile phone, and money, beat him, and tried to handcuff him, he said. Meanwhile, some locals gathered on the spot and rescued him. The accused ASI, Suman, told UNB that one of his friends, a police officer at Narayanganj port police station, informed him about a case filed against the businessman. “My friend came to Gazaria, and we took Shakil there to talk in ‘private’.”  

Two cases have been filed against popular film actress Mahiya Mahi and her husband — on charge of “defaming police” after going live on Facebook and alleged involvement in extortion and assaulting a businessman. Rokon Mia, sub-inspector of Bason Police Station, filed a case under Digital Security Act against Mahi and her husband Rakib Sarkar while Ismail Hossain, a businessman, filed the other case on Friday night with Bason Police Station against 28 people including the couple on charges of assaulting, vandalism and forcibly occupying land. Abu Torab Mohammad Shamsuddin, deputy commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said police filed the case against the couple for “tarnishing the image of police, including Gazipur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Molla Nazrul Islam”, after going live on Facebook. “Legal action will be taken against them after investigation,” he said. Also read: Actress Mahiya Mahi collects AL nomination form for Chapainawabganj-2 by-election According to the case statement, Mahiya Mahi, from her Facebook page, went live early Friday — making allegations against police. During the live session, she said Ismail Hossain and Mamun Sarkar, through their people, carried out an attack on a showroom, Sony Raj Car Palace, on Dhaka-Tangail highway near Bhawal Badre Alam Government College. The actress and her husband also alleged that the Gazipur Metropolitan Police commissioner “supported the attackers” after taking bribe. She also said she feared getting arrested after returning to the country from Makkah. During the Facebook live, Mahiya’s husband Rakib alleged that police arrested security guards of the car showroom. Read More: 6 by-elections: Mahi fails to get nod, as AL brings in alliance partners Meanwhile, Ismail Hossain, owner of Rod Binding Factory in Itahata area of Gazipur city, in his complaint said, he has been running a factory in the area for the past ten years after purchasing land there. On Friday, some people on behalf of Rakib and Mahiya attacked and vandalized the factory, he said. They also beat up five people at the factory, leaving them injured, while trying to occupy the land, according to the complaint. Contacted, Molla Nazrul, Commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said, “Actress Mahiya brought allegations against police on Facebook and tried to draw sympathy through lies.” Read More: Mahiya Mahi set for motherhood

  Two policemen were closed on Friday night from the Companiganj police station on a charge of extortion from drivers of stone-laden trucks at Companiganj upazila in the district.The policemen are Md Suman Miah and Shahriar Hossain of the Companiganj police station.They were withdrawn from the Companiganj police station and attached to the district police line in Sylhet, according to a letter signed by Sylhet Additional Superintendent of Police Shahriar bin Saleh.Local people said that the drivers of stone-laden trucks in association with the local residents chased off Suman and Shahriar on December 24 night in Kalabari area under Companiganj upazila as they demanded extortion money from the drivers after stopping their stone-loaded vehicles.Bholaganj police outpost in-charge Shahab Uddin filed a general diary in this regard with the Companiganj police against constable Suman and Shahriar following a complaint from the local people.Later, the district police administration issued an order on Friday night asking for the withdrawal of the two constables from their workplace and to attach them to the police lines after the allegation brought against them was found true in the primary investigation.Read more: Consider police stations as 'service delivery centres' to provide better service: IGP

Police arrested three Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men including two leaders on charge of extortion from a road construction contractor on Thursday. The arrestees were identified as Saltha upazila unit BCL Vice Presidents Imamul Khan, Abu Musa Prince, and activist Jasim Molla. They were sent to jail through a Faridpur court on Friday, said Md Sadik Khan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Saltha Police Station. According to the case statement and locals, a contractor called ‘Tasa Construction’ was carrying out carpeting work on a 2-kilometer stretch of road in the Saltha College Road area. A group of youths numbering eight to ten allegedly led by the BCL leaders accosted a trolley driver who was engaged in supplying construction materials for the road, and asked him to pay Tk 1 lakh. Read: JCD leader among 10 booked for Faridpur bizman's murder

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have detained seven people from Bashundhara residential area and Dakshin Khan area in the city on charges of blackmailing and extortion. They detainees  are ring leader Md Al Mahmud, Mamun ,26,  Mastura Akhtar Priya 21, Md. Akram Hossain, Akib 20,  Tanya Akhtar ,25,, Md. Rubel ,32, Md. Mohsin 26,  and  Md. Imran 32. ASP Noman Ahmed of Rab-1 Battalion headquarters said that a victim submitted a complaint to the headquarters stating that he was introduced with a girl named Mastura Akhtar Priya through Facebook on July 10.  Then Priya took him to visit her friend's house on August 10 evening.  After entering the room of the house, Priya and her accomplices Md Al Mahmood,Mamun,  Md Akram Hossain, Aqib, Tania Akhtar,  Md Rubel,  Md Mohsin and Md Imran forcibly undressed him and recorded video. Read: 37 muggers held in city Later, he was kept hostage and they demanded a ransom of TK 10 lakh. After that, they forcibly collected Tk 1 lakh through bkash and a Tk 4 lakh bank cheque from the victim. Based on the allegation, an operational team of the Rab-1 conducted a drive in Bashundhara residential area and Dakkhin khan area simultaneously early Tuesday. The elite force also recovered 14 mobile phones and two laptops and secret videos from them.  During preliminary questioning,  they confessed to their involvement in the criminal activities.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Friday alleged that the Eid holidaymakers are facing many ordeals while travelling to their village homes due to anarchy in the transport sector fueled by ruling party-backed syndicates. "People from the metropolitan cities are returning to villages to celebrate Eid with their loved ones. But the anarchy in transport fares fueled by the government syndicates and the limitless misery on the roads are spoiling the joy of the Eid holidaymakers," he said. Speaking at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan Central Office, Rizvi also said the Awami League's transport and ticket syndicates have become active during Eid to make quick bucks. Read: AL can’t earn people’s trust even with 1000 Padma bridges: BNP He said the transport syndicates are charging two-three times extra fares from the homebound people ahead of Eid. "The ruling party's influential leaders get a share of this money. Extortion, traffic jams and harassment continue on the roads and highways for a lack of monitoring." The BNP leader also slammed the government for public suffering caused by frequent power outages. "Why are we now experiencing horrible load-shedding during the tenure of this government which could produce surplus electricity?" After lighting the Padma Bridge with so many lights, Rizvi said, the ministers are now saying that the wedding ceremonies should be finished by 7pm without any illumination. It is now being recommended to cut the office hours due to the power crisis, he added. "So, there's no doubt that the country is heading for bankruptcy like Sri Lanka." Read: Country heading for deep economic crisis: BNP warns The BNP leader also said when people are struggling to cope with skyrocketing prices of daily essentials, the government has increased the price of water by 5 percent. "The state minister for power already said the price of fuel oil will go up. Earlier, the prices of electricity and gas were increased." He alleged that the ruling party leaders are indulging in corruption in every sector, leaving people in misery. "The country is now under the grasp of the ruling party quarters." The BNP leader called upon the people to get united to save the country and establish a pro-people government through a strong street movement.

BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Tuesday alleged that the ruling party men are indulging in extortion in all markets and shopping malls across the country, including Dhaka, with the backing of the government. "The New Market incident ensued because of the extortion of those who rule this country and the thugs of the illegitimate government," he said. Also read: Dhaka north BNP’s 620 units form committees Speaking at a rally, the BNP leader also said, “Who are extorting money from all the markets across Bangladesh, including Dhaka city? Those who belong to the ruling party and its associate bodies are extorting money with the backing of the government.” BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club demanding the release of arrested party leader Makbul Hossain and withdrawal of ‘false cases’ filed by police in connection with the bloody clashes in the city’s New Market area. At least 40 people were injured as a group of Dhaka College students and shopkeepers in the New Market area fought pitched battles last week. Later, two injured people—computer accessories delivery man Nahid Hasan and shop employee Morsalin--died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Five cases were filed in connection with the violence while police arrested former New Market thana BNP President Makbul Hossain in this connection. Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member said the ruling party-backed extortionists are responsible for the violence in the New Market area that claimed the lives of two people. “The shopkeepers of New Market put up a resistance against extortion while the cadres wearing helmets killed people to suppress this resistance. It’s now people's question as to why no case is filed against them (ruling party men). But our leader Makbul was arrested and put on remand as he has an only fault that he owns a shop in New Market,” he said. Also read: AL’s character to blame BNP for its own misdeeds: Mirza Fakhrul The BNP leader demanded the government immediately arrest the real perpetrators and put them on trial. He called upon the government to release BNP leader Makbul Hossain and withdraw the false cases filed against their party leaders and activists. Mentioning that Bangladesh is now under ‘misrule’ of the Awami League government, Mosharraf said ousting the current ‘usurper’ government is the only option to get rid of it. "The fascist and despotic government of Sheikh Hasina must quit power. We all have to take to the streets in a greater way to make it happen."