Almost all footpaths of the major roads in the capital are under the occupation of the extortionists. The rein of extortion is in the hand of law enforcement agencies, local political leaders and professional criminals. The extortion continues throughout the year but atrocities of such offenders intensify ahead of Eid. Right now, recklessly toll is being collected from the vendors at the footpath
spreading over 150 km area. The offenders are realising extra tips in addition to usual extortion money. If any vendor does not pay the money, he becomes subjected to various kinds of harassment. Police very often arrest such vendors and produce before the court. Apart from footpath, the traders running business in the regular markets and shopping malls have fallen victim to the extortions. Police officials ranging from the OC to a constable get share of the extortion. As a result, police are unmoved despite frequent complaint against the extortionists. A weeklong on-the-spot investigation into various markets in the capital showed the above grim picture. The matter is not confined to extortion only. Rather, the possession of the footpath is being sold in some areas in exchange for money ranging from Tk 25,000 to Tk 1,00,000. It was seen that extortion money is publicly collected from Paltan, Uttara, Sadarghat, New Market, Mirpur and Motijheel area. Linesmen and sources are collecting the money. When asked, they replied that they distribute the due share among the police, local political leaders and criminals. At last, they took their own share. Sometimes, the politicians and local miscreants collect the toll money with their own hands. In some places, extortion takes places on the sly. People introducing themselves to be affiliated with the ruling party and its front organisations commit the extortion. The small vendors in the footpath are in a fix due to the atrocities of such offenders. In some places, complicity of big political leaders was alleged. A leader of the ruling party in Old Dhaka under Dhaka City Corporation (South) area is allegedly controlling the extortionists and collecting tips from them. On the other hand, an allegation has been raised against a lawmaker for collecting share of extortion at Gabtoli-Mirpur in DCC (North) area. Extortion to the tune of Tk 13.86 crore is being collected monthly from the footpath of the area surveyed by this reporter. An amount of Tk 46.20 lakh is collected daily. Besides, Tk 1 crore is earned by selling possession of the shops. According to Hackers’ Association, there are over 2,000 footpath business spots including every lane and by-lanes in the capital. A total of Tk 60 lakh has to be paid to the extortionists per day. This amount stands at Tk 18 crore per month and Tk 216 crore per year. The people concerned said had been the small vendors allowed to run their business legally, the government would have earned extortion money as revenue from them. The government is being deprived of revenue worth over Tk 200 crore annually. During tenure of mayor Hanif, it was proposed to rehabilitate the hawkers in eight places Osmani Udyan, Muktangon, Jatrabari, Motijheel, Mirpur, Shah Ali, Panthapath and Azimpur. Later, during the caretaker regime, a proposal was made to rehabilitate them in 20 places. Neither of the proposals was implemented. There are 75,000 shops in the footpaths in the main roads of the Dhaka city. Bangladesh Hawkers Federation says such number of shops is 2.60 lakh. There are over 1,000 shops on the footpath from Abdullahpur to Khilkhet and Tk 60 is being collected from every shop daily, taking a total of Tk 60,000 per day and Tk 18 lakh per month. Uttara Awami League joint secretary SM Mahbub Alam said “If anybody introducing himself as ruling party member collects extortion to tarnish the image of the party, he will be meted with harsh action. So far I know, nobody of local Awami League is involved in extortion. But, I am reluctant to make any comment on the complicity of police.” A mini-market has been set up on the footpaths in front of Uttara Mascot Plaza and North Tower by some leaders of the ruling party. Juba league leader Kabir Hossain alias Barishailla Kabir and his nephew Alam and Gafur, Selim, Khokon, Kayes, Mintoo, Ferdous, Babu, Jasim and Helal supervise it where hundreds of clothes shops are run. It is learnt that, the extortion money is also collected from different markets and footpath shops regularly at Uttara 11,12,7, 3, 4, and 6 numbers sectors in the name of local lawmaker. The extortionists come by motorcycle every night and they collect Tk 150 to 200 from each shop. Officers-in-Charge and constables of Uttara west and north model police stations are also getting the share of the extortion money. The lineman and informers are collecting money from the area on behalf of police. Some traders alleged that huge amount of extortion money is collected from footpaths by a group led by Mamun, second officer of the Uttara west police. Karim Miah, a small trader said the extortion started from the first Ramadan and different group are colleting tolls including thana police, DB police, political leaders and terrorists. He also said, some days before police picked up me and my shop’s materials when I denied paying the extortion. Later I got released by paying money but they did not give my materials worth around Tk 10,000. Refuting the allegation, OC Rafiquel Islam of Uttara west police station said, no police man of my police station is involved with footpath extortion. We are monitoring all members of my police station. At least 10,000 shops are set up on footpaths at Newmarket, Gawsia, Nilkhat, Azimpur, Chadnerchak, in front of Dhaka College. The extortionists are collecting Tk 70 from each shop daily and monthly collection is Tk 2 crore 10 lakhs. A small vendor who run business on footpath near Danmondhi hawkers market said, the students organization of ruling party of Dhaka college are collecting extortion regularly from the area. They have increased rate of toll money ahead of Eid. Jalal Mollah, a trader of Chandrima super Market said, “we are victims of extortionists, they also take cloths from our shops. No result has come though we informed police and RAB.” The extortion activities are led by Awami league leader Dulal Miah, Ramjan Ali, Hossain, Kala Babu, Joney an police source Badsha and Rahim. The extortionists are also collecting money from Mirpur Muktijodda marker, Muktabangla Shopping complex, Co-operative market, Shah Ali Shopping complex, Kushum-e Bagdad shopping complex introducing them as leaders of Awami league, Chhatra league. The group members are Kalam, Azam, Gafur, Nayan, Ruhul Amin, Julhas, Tokai Faruk, Kalu, police source Kabir, Mannan, Malek and Hannan. At least 7000 shops were set up on footpaths of Mirpur, Pallabi, Darussalam, Kafrul and Shah Ali area. Extortionists are colleting Tk 70 from each shop. Tk 1 crore 47 lakh was taken by the extortionists. In this connection, Mirpur police station’s OC Salauddin said, “Action will be taken if any one found taking money in the name of police. We are active to stop the footpaths extortion.” There are 16 thousand shops in the city’s Gulistan, GPO, Baitul Mukarram, paltan, Sadarghat and Sundarban Square area. Per day extortionists are collecting Tk 50 from per shop on an average from the area. Every day, on an average, they took Tk 8 lakh as extortion while it stood at Tk 2 crore per month. Ful Mia, a small makeshift trader in front of GPO said, “I cannot operate my business easily due to extortionists. Everyday I am giving extortion to police, ruling party cadres and terrors. They also collected Tk 200 to Tk 300 from many shops in the area as extortion.” Paltan Model Thana OC Morshed Alam told Kaler Kontho, “We provide strong surveillance team in the area for preventing extortion. Extortion will be eliminated from the footpaths if government will rehabilitate the makeshift hawkers.” It is learnt that Sramik Legaue leaders Abul, Kalam, Abdus Salam, Babul, Hasan, Harun, Joj, Kala Nobi and Choton and police source Forkan, Dulal and Kala Monir are collecting extortion from the shops situated besides Bangabandhu Hawkers Market. There are 10 thousand shops in the city’s Fakurapool, Motijheel Shapla Chattar, Tikatuli, in front of Ideal School and College and north side of Bangabhaban. The extortionists are collecting worth Tk 1.80 crore as extortion every month. Abdul Razzak, owner of a makeshift shop in front of Alico Building told this correspondent, “Brother, what is the profit of telling about extortion? There is no action even if newspapers publish their news. Years after years we are giving extortion to political leaders, police and terrors.” Motijheel Thana OC BM Forman Ali told Kaler Kontho, “In my knowledge, no incident of extortion took place in those areas.” Nurul Islam, Taju, Boro Harun, Liton, Babu, Saiful Islam, and police source Ramjan, Karim Mia are involved with the extortion in the city’s Motijheel area. There are 8,000 shops in the city’s Tejgaon, Farmgate, Beghunbari, Satrasta, Kathalbagan and FDC areas. Extortionists of the area collect Tk 4 lakh every day. Local Jubo League leader Kana Dulal, lineman Hafiz nad Hossain are controlling the makeshift shops of Framgate area. Gias Uddin, a makeshift trader in front of Farmview Super Market said, “Every day we are giving extortion to police. They collect Tk 300 to Tk 500 from each shop every day.” Tejgaon Thana OC Mazharul Islam said, “There is no extortion incident in this area. We did not receive any allegation from the traders about the matter.” There are 700 makeshift shops in the city’s Karwan Bazaar area. Sardar kader, Hanif and Sajib are controlling the footpath of the area. Every day they collected Tk 42,000 from those areas as extortion. Abdur Rahim, a makeshift shop owner told Kaler Kontho, “Top terror of underworld and rising terrors are collecting extortion from us everyday.” There are about 10 thousand shops in the city’s Badda, Rampura, Mouchak, Shantinagar, malibagh, Shahjahanpur and Khilgaon area. Every day extortionists collect Tk 55 from each shop. Businessmen said that footpath of Malibagh crossing road is controlled by police informers Makbul, Anwar, Moti, Arshad and Khobir. Lineman Aziz and Rubel control Maghbazar while Khilgaon rail gate extortion is controlled by Sarder Alauddin and Shafiq. At least five thousand makeshift shops are located in footpath of Jatrabari, Syampur, Dolaipar, Postogola, Jurain Alam market areas. On average Tk 60 has been collected daily from each shop. Around three lakh taka is collected from them daily while it stands at Tk 90 lakh per month. Rafiq, a hawker of Jurain Alam Market footpath said that they have to pay toll to many people. Of them, mostly police and political leaders are creating problems. Abu Hossain Babla, MP of Dhaka-4 constituency said, “No one will be allowed to indulge in extortion in my area. Extortion on footpath will be stopped forever. All illegal establishments will be evicted after Eid following the direction of prime minister.” Oboni Snakar, Officer in-charge of Jatrabari police station certifying him innocent said, “I never take extortion money. If anybody takes toll from footpath using the name of police station, legal action will be taken against them. None will be spared.” It is learnt that Sona Miyan, Joynal, Monir, Rabby, BCL leader Choyon, lineman Mannan, Sona Miyan, Anu and Torab controls the Jatrabari area while Siraz Talukder, Nurul Islam, Selim and some others control Jurain area. There are 8,000 makeshift shops located in city’s Mohakhali, Gulsshan and Banani area. On average Tk 50 is collected from each shop daily. As per this amount, the daily collection stands at TK 4 lakh while monthly collection stands at TK 1 crore and 20 lakh. Rafiqul Islam, Officer in-charge of Gulshan police station said, “Initiatives are taken to stop extortion. I warned every member of my police station that if any allegation is received against them, punitive action will be taken.” Inspector General of police Hasan Mahmood Khandoker said, “Not only in footpath, if extortion or other crimes are committed in any area immediate action will be taken against them. Legal action will be taken if any police member is found involved with extortion.” He also said several steps have already been taken to prevent extortionists and Surveillance on footpath and its adjacent areas were increased. President of Bangladesh Hawkers Federation M A Kashem said the small businessmen are very much bewildered as leaders of the ruling party, law enforcers and influential are collecting extorting from all the shops of footpath. There is no remedy despite the high ups of the government are informed. An official of DMP said the politicians are responsible in this regard as we are not being capable of taking action against the extortionists. According to an extortion collector whose name not disclosed, everyday money is collected for the politicians and law enforcing members. Tk 200 or Tk 300 is collected from the shops. The level of extortion goes up in Ramadan. Toll collection ends at 11:00pm. The cashier and SI of the concerned Police Station come to take their portion of money. The portion of the political leaders of the Thana and Ward level are sent to them. But he denied disclosing names of any political leader. He said they are the leaders of ruling party. I get Tk 500 or 600 after distributing money to the Thana and leaders. Sometimes criminals come to take their portion of money. Hawkers can not do business in the area if they do not pay toll. The toll money is also distributed to high officials of police and high level leaders. Dulal said in every point on footpath many linemen work like him. Extortion will end if small businessmen are rehabilitated. Government will get a large amount of money. At the end of conversation he requested not to expose his identity in the newspaper. If his identity is disclosed he might get killed he said.
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