Extortion demand of Tk 5 million followed by gunfire at house at night
Terrorists attacked and opened fire at a businessman’s under construction building in Chattogram on July 26. Photo: Collected
Gunmen have now opened fire at the home of an expatriate in Chattogram city. The homeowner alleged that a man sent a voice recording to his son, who had returned from abroad, from a foreign WhatsApp number in the afternoon and demanded Tk 5 million in extortion. After the number was blocked, the house came under gunfire at night. The incident spread panic among residents of the building and across the area.
The incident took place around 11 pm Monday at the home of Haji Mohammad Yusuf in the Hamzarbag area under Panchlaish police station in the city.
Mohammad Yusuf’s home is in Fatikchhari upazila of Chattogram. His elder son, Mohammad Shawkat, lives in Dubai. He is the father in law of Azizur Rahman Aziz, general secretary of the Chattogram Metropolitan unit of the banned Swechchhasebak League. Aziz was arrested two days after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024, and is now in jail.
Panchlaish police station Officer in Charge Mohammad Jahedul Islam told Agamir Somoy, “Someone fired two rounds at a house in the Hamzarbag area at night. There was a power outage at the time. They took advantage of the situation to open fire. We later learned that it was the father in law’s house of Swechchhasebak League leader Aziz. Local people know it as businessman Shawkat’s residence. It was done to create panic. We are investigating who opened fire.”
Mohammad Yusuf said he had lived in Saudi Arabia for 40 years. He is now retired. His elder son Shawkat lives in Dubai and runs a business. He is currently in the country. He was at home when the incident occurred.
According to Yusuf, around 11:45 am, a voice recording arrived on Shawkat’s WhatsApp number from a foreign number. The voice recording said that the call was being made from Qatar. It said, “We have businesses at home and abroad. We have buildings. We receive a lot of rent. You have to pay Tk 5 million in extortion. The money has to be given to one of his younger brothers. If you agree to pay, let him know. Then he will provide his younger brother’s mobile number and tell you where the money has to be delivered.”
Saying that he did not mention the name of the person who demanded the extortion money, Yusuf said, “My son told me about the matter. I told him, you do not need to reply. Block the number. He blocked the number. Then, after 10:30 pm, two men came in front of our house. Our security guard was downstairs. The gate was open. We were at home on the second floor. They told the guard to close the gate. One of them had a weapon in his hand. When the guard asked why, they threatened him by showing the weapon. The guard quickly closed the gate and went into his room. Our guard saw the two men fire two shots toward the gate and then walk away.”
“There was no electricity. So the security guard could not see the two men’s faces clearly. But they had walked there. They also walked away. They probably had a motorcycle or another vehicle parked some distance away. We came downstairs after hearing the gunshots. Local people also arrived. Police came as well.”
Mohammad Yusuf said he has not yet decided whether to file a case with the police station over the incident.
A police officer who did not wish to be named said they had received preliminary information that the shooting in the country could be linked to a dispute in the Middle East over hundi business.
OC Jahedul Islam said they were looking into whether the incident was connected to the extortion demand or another dispute.
Over the past two years, several incidents have occurred in Chattogram in which gunmen first demanded extortion and later opened fire at homes and business establishments to create panic. In almost every case, police investigations found information indicating the involvement of the terrorist group of Shibir cadre Sajjad Ali Khan, also known as Baro Sajjad, who is currently hiding abroad.
On February 28, gunmen opened fire at the home of businessman and former lawmaker Mujibur Rahman in Chandanpura, Chattogram city. He said the shooting occurred after someone called identifying himself as Baro Sajjad and demanded Tk 50 million in extortion.
Later, Baro Sajjad’s cadre Mobarak Hossain Imon, also known as David Imon, demanded a one time payment of Tk 20 million and Tk 1 million a month in extortion from the owner of an internet service provider called Digital Dot Net. After the demand was not met, terrorists entered the company’s office on Bakalia Access Road in the city and went on a rampage on July 13.
The same terrorist group attacked and opened fire at an under construction building owned by a businessman in the Bordighir Par area of Hathazari upazila in Chattogram on July 26. The businessman, identified as Jasim Uddin, alleged that the group had demanded Tk 2 million in extortion from him.
