Extortion using police—that’s the shocking allegation made against several leaders of the so-called Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Dhaka. According to law enforcement sources, these individuals brought police to a residence in Gulshan under the pretext of searching for a fugitive, and then used fear and intimidation to extract 1 million taka from the residents.
The incident occurred on July 17 when Abdur Razzak Bin Sulaiman, alias Riad, along with several others, accompanied police to the Gulshan residence of former MP Shammie Ahmed. Claiming to be “coordinators,” they told police that a fugitive suspect was hiding inside. When no such person was found and police left, the so-called leaders stayed behind and threatened Shammie Ahmed’s husband—Australia-based Siddique Abu Jafar—warning he would be falsely implicated and arrested unless they were paid.
In fear, the family allegedly handed over 1 million taka. The group later returned in two separate visits demanding an additional 4 million taka. They even made threatening phone calls to enforce their demands.
Police Additional Commissioner (Crime & Operations) Md. Nazrul Islam told the media:
“It appears these individuals used police as a ‘trump card’—to show they had the power to have someone arrested at will. The extortion followed immediately after the police visit.”
After receiving credible intelligence, police kept the area under surveillance. On Saturday evening, as the suspects returned to demand more money, officers arrested five of them red-handed from the scene.
A case was filed at Gulshan Police Station the next day. Apart from the five arrestees, the complaint names one Kazi Gaurab alias Apu and 10–12 unidentified accomplices.
Among those arrested, four—Riyad, Sakdaun Siam, Sadman Sadab, and Ibrahim Hossain—were granted seven-day remand for interrogation. The fifth, being underage, was sent to the Tongi Juvenile Development Center.
This case of extortion using police has raised serious concerns about abuse of law enforcement and manipulation of fear for personal gain. The investigation is ongoing.
