Cox’s Bazar Correspondent: Five people, including the head of the extortion syndicate, have been arrested in Cox’s Bazar, said RAB-15 Additional Superintendent of Police Anwar Hossain. At the same time, extortion receipts and extortion money totaling 10,000 taka were seized.
The members of RAB-15 arrested them while extorting money from transport at the Jhelongar Link Road area of Cox’s Bazar Sadar on Tuesday (February 28) evening.
Taher Ahmed Sikder (50), son of deceased Aftab Uddin Sikder of South Muhuripara (Ward No. 4) of Jhelongja Union of Sadar Upazila, Wabaidul Karim (40), son of Abu Bakkar of Muhuripara Basic area, Hoikung of Teknaf, Giyas Uddin son of deceased Islam of BGB Check Post area.
RAB-15’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Anwar, said that the detainees have been forcibly extorting Tk 100 to Tk 1200 from the drivers and workers of the vehicles coming to Cox’s Bazar from different parts of the country. In addition, they have been demanding huge sums of money from the counter-in-charges of various transports in Cox’s Bazar and threatening them if they don’t pay. Thus, they made the district’s transportation sector chaotic. Their shelter was given to Taher Ahmed Sikder, known as the godfather of the gang. So the drivers, workers, and counter-in-charges gave them money as per their demand. After receiving such complaints, intelligence surveillance was increased. A smart team of RAB-15 caught them red-handed on Tuesday to collect the money. During this time, illegal collection slips for $10,000 and cash in the amount of 200 taka were also seized.
He said that earlier, the General Manager (GM) of Cox’s Bazar Shyamoli Paribahan Khorshed Alam Shamim filed a case against them at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Model Police Station on charges of extortion. In this case, they were handed over to Sadar police station.
Acting Captain of RAB-15, Cox’s Bazar, Major Syed Sadiqul Haque said, “I found out that Taher Ahmed Sikdar, the head of the extortion gang, is a lawyer by profession.” He is accused in the murder case of Zahirul Islam Sikder, the president of the Jatiya Sramik League Cox’s Bazar district branch. He was arrested in this case and was in jail for a long time. Also, I have received information that six cases are ongoing against him in various police stations for various crimes, including explosives.
