Five leguna stands in Mirpur allegedly seized, Tk 300 extortion demanded per vehicle
Collected Photo
Five leguna stands in Mirpur in the capital have allegedly been forcibly seized. There are also allegations of demands for Tk 300 in extortion per vehicle and attacks on owners. The Greater Mirpur Leguna Owners and Workers Union has called for an end to extortion, a fair investigation into the attacks, the arrest of those involved and the recovery of the stands from illegal occupation. The union has called for urgent intervention by the Home Minister, the Inspector General of Police, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner and other relevant authorities.
The allegations were raised by the organization's leaders at a press conference held Friday at the Sagar-Runi Auditorium on the second floor of the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in Segunbagicha in the capital.
In a written statement, Md. Yakub Ali said five leguna stands in Section 1 of Mirpur were brought under control at around 11:30 am on October 5 through the display of weapons and intimidation. He alleged that 60 to 70 people were involved in the incident. They included Biplob, Soleman Dewan, Mahabbat Ali, Pavel Bhuiyan, Tayeb Ali, Alamgir Hossain, Shamim and Mojibor Rahman, who are known as supporters and associates of S. A. Siddique Sajju, a rebel BNP candidate for Dhaka 14. The statement also identified them as individuals expelled from the BNP over misconduct.
According to the union's leaders, Tk 300 is being demanded from leguna owners for each vehicle. They alleged that those who refuse to pay are subjected to intimidation and pressure. They also accused the alleged perpetrators of attacking leguna owners Yakub Ali, Nazrul Islam and Babul. They said Yakub Ali has visible injury marks on his body and that the organization has documents related to his treatment and medical reports.
The speakers alleged that when Yakub Ali went to Darus Salam Police Station to file a complaint following the attack, the police did not accept it. They called for an investigation into the matter and demanded action if negligence by any police officer is established.
At the press conference, the speakers demanded an investigation into the alleged seizure of the five stands, verification of video footage and eyewitness accounts, identification and arrest of those involved in the attacks, an end to illegal extortion and the recovery of the stands from illegal occupation. They also urged authorities to ensure that political affiliations do not influence the investigation. They claimed that video footage and other evidence of the incident are available.
Those present at the press conference included Md. Yakub Ali, Md. Nazrul Islam, Md. Saidul Sheikh, Alamin and Firoz, along with other members of the organization.
