Highlights
- Abdur Rahman admitted involvement in extortion on Jamuna TV.
- He claimed Awami League-linked groups previously ran extortion.
- Jubo Dal expelled him after the broadcast.
- Karwan Bazar traders formed a human chain against him.
- Traders allege attacks by his followers during the protest.
- Police say action depends on filing formal cases.
While speaking in an interview to Jamuna TV Abdur Rahman said ,
“বিগত দিনে যে চাঁদাবাজেরা ছিল, তারা তো আসেনি। এটার হাল তো ধরতে হবে। আমরা ২০–২৫ জন মিলে এটার হাল ধরেছি।”
“The extortionists who were there in the past have not come. We have to deal with this. We have 20-25 people together have dealt with this.”
In the interview, he introduced himself as the member secretary of the Tejgaon Police Station Jubo Dal. On September 12 last year, Jamuna Television aired the Investigation 360 Degree program; on YouTube, the title of which was, “The extortionists of the past have not come, we have to deal with this: Jubo Dal leader.”
This investigative report on the extortion in Karwan Bazar reveals how after August 5, Abdur Rahman and his associates took responsibility for the extortion of the previous Awami League era on their shoulders.
Abdur Rahman also told Jamuna TV,
“আওয়ামী লীগ, ছাত্রলীগ, যুবলীগ—ওরা এককভাবে চাঁদাবাজিগুলো করত এবং এর ভাগ স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী পর্যন্ত যেত।”
Translation : “Awami League, Chhatra League, Jubo League—they used to do the extortions individually and their share would reach even the Home Minister.”
In the wake of this statement, the Jubo Dal expelled him from the party on September 19 last year.
On Monday morning, ordinary traders in Karwan Bazar organized a human chain against extortion. The banner held by the traders had Abdur Rahman’s name and picture.
The Descent analyzed the video broadcast on Jamuna Television and the name and picture used in the human chain banner and spoke to several traders, and confirmed that both ‘Abdur Rahmans’ are the same person.
Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo Dal member secretary Sajjadul Miraj told The Descent,
“থানা কমিটির সদস্য সচিব হয়েও তিনি গণমাধ্যমে সঠিকভাবে বক্তব্য দিতে পারেননি এবং দলকে ভুলভাবে উপস্থাপন করেছেন। এজন্য তাকে তখন বহিষ্কার করা হয়।”
Translation : “Despite being the member secretary of the police station committee, he could not give a correct statement to the media and misrepresented the party. For this, he was expelled at that time.”
Several traders who participated in today’s human chain told The Descent that they had participated in the human chain mainly because they were fed up with Abdur Rahman’s extortion. However, at one point during the human chain, a group of people came and attacked them. The traders allege that those involved in the attack are mainly followers of Abdur Rahman, the expelled member secretary of Tejgaon Police Station Jubo Dal.
Organizing Secretary of Islamia Shanti Samiti of Karwan Bazar, Belayet Hossain, said that at least 10 traders were injured in the attack on the human chain.
“কারওয়ান বাজারের সব ব্যবসায়ী আব্দুর রহমানের কাছে জিম্মি হয়ে আছেন। সে পুলিশের সামনেই আজ আমাদের মারছে। তার কতটা ক্ষমতা, তা বুঝতেই পারছেন।”
Translation : “All the traders of Karwan Bazar are hostages to Abdur Rahman. He is beating us today in front of the police. You can understand how much power he has.”
Belayet Hossain claims that Abdur Rahman was never seen in Karwan Bazar before August 5. However, after August 5, he bought at least 5 to 7 shops in this market.
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Abdur Rahman’s violence has not decreased even after expulsion
Even though he was expelled from the party last year, Abdur Rahman’s extortion violence has not decreased a bit – this is what the traders said. This month, 550 traders of Karwan Bazar have submitted a written complaint to the traders’ organization Islamia Shanti Samiti, accusing him of extortion.
One of the complainants is 53-year-old Md. Delwar Hossain. He has been doing business in Karwan Bazar for 35 years. His grocery store, Noakhali Store, is on the second floor of the Kitchen Market. Delwar Hossain alleged that Abdur Rahman demanded Tk 1.5 million from him at the end of last year.
He said that on February 3 this year, he was called to the Karwan Bazar’s Kathpatti, where a BNP political program was going on. There, he was given a public wash under the leadership of Abdur Rahman.
Delwar Hossain said,
“এই ঘটনায় আমি কোনো মামলা করতে পারিনি। কারণ থানা পুলিশ পুরোপুরি তার নিয়ন্ত্রণে।”
Translation : “I could not file a case in this incident. Because the police station is completely under his control.”
Md. Belayet Hossain (40), a rice trader in the same market, said that he has been doing business in Karwan Bazar for 25 years. A few months ago, Abdur Rahman also demanded a bribe from him. According to Belayet, he was told that he needed money to carry out political activities, so he had to pay.
Belayet Hossain said,
“এর কয়েক দিন পর এক রাতে দোকান বন্ধ করে বের হলে সামনের রাস্তায় আব্দুর রহমানের নেতৃত্বে ৭০ থেকে ৮০ জন আমার ওপর হামলা চালায়। পরে অন্য ব্যবসায়ীরা আমাকে উদ্ধার করে মার্কেটের ভেতরে নিয়ে আসে। কিন্তু হাসপাতালে নিতেও বাধা দেওয়া হয়।”
Translation : “A few days later, one night, when I was leaving the shop, 70 to 80 people led by Abdur Rahman attacked me on the street in front. Later, other businessmen rescued me and brought me inside the market. But I was also prevented from taking me to the hospital.”
However, Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo Dal member secretary Sajjadul Miraj told The Descent,
“আমরা আব্দুর রহমানের চাঁদাবাজির অভিযোগের বিষয়ে তদন্ত করেছি। তবে তার বিরুদ্ধে সঠিক কোনো অভিযোগ পাইনি। আজ যারা মানববন্ধন করেছেন, তারা আওয়ামী লীগের সঙ্গে সম্পৃক্ত। তাদের অনেকের সঙ্গে সাবেক স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রীর সঙ্গে ছবি দেখা গেছে।”
Translation : “We have investigated the allegations of extortion by Abdur Rahman. However, we have not received any proper complaint against him. Those who formed the human chain today are associated with the Awami League. Many of them have been seen in pictures with the former home minister.”
What are the police saying?
Tejgaon Police Station OC Kaushyinyu Marma told The Descent,
“মামলা করলে মামলা নেওয়া হবে। আব্দুর রহমানের বিরুদ্ধে মামলা রয়েছে, তবে তিনি সবগুলোতেই জামিনে আছেন। মামলা ছাড়া আমরা কিছু করতে পারি না।”
Translation : “If a case is filed, a case will be filed. There are cases against Abdur Rahman, but he is out on bail in all of them. We cannot do anything without a case.”
In response to a question about whether the police station has any initiative to control extortion, he said,
“আমাদের ইন্টেলিজেন্স কাজ করে। তবে এ ধরনের তেমন কিছু আমাদের চোখে পড়েনি। আজকের ঘটনায় আমরা ব্যবসায়ীদের মামলা করার কথা বলেছি।”
Translation : “Our intelligence is working. However, we have not seen anything like this. In today’s incident, we have asked the businessmen to file a case.”
source : the dissent
