Attack on Business Establishment
'Didn't ask for extortion, asked for a percentage of the business'
CCTV footage inside an office of internet provider in Chattogram show vandals ransack furniture and equipment. Agamir Somoy.
An indiscriminate attack and vandalism have occurred at the office of an internet service provider in Chittagong city. The owner of the establishment has alleged that the attack was carried out by cadres of terrorist David Imon because they refused to pay a one-time extortion amounting Tk 2 crore and additional Tk 10 lakh per month.
The attack took place around 12:30 PM on Monday at the office of Digital Dot Net (DDN) on Bakalia Access Road under Chakbazar police station in the city. Video footage of the incident has already spread on social media.
Mohammad Ridwanul Kabir, one of the directors of DDN, said that on Saturday, David Imon called their Managing Director (MD) Adil Bin Mamun via mobile phone, identifying himself as a person from terrorist Boro Sajjad. The demand was placed from a foreign WhatsApp number. Following the refusal to pay, 15-20 armed terrorists suddenly stormed their office at noon today (Monday) and went on a rampage. Along with breaking various furniture, they looted Tk 35 lakh in cash kept at the office.
'We asked the Police Commissioner to look at David Imon's picture and find out who he is. He also talked about shooting at the house of Smart Group owner Mujibur Rahman in Chandonpura for not paying extortion. He gave various other threats,' said Ridwanul Kabir.
In the CCTV footage, several young men wearing masks can be seen entering the office with some local weapons. They are seen breaking chairs, tables, computers, and other equipment. They are also seen intimidating staff with axes and forcing them out.
Ridwanul Kabir claimed that several other internet service providers in Chittagong have also been demanded for extortion in the name of Boro Sajjad. Following the DDN incident, panic has spread among internet business owners.
Habibur Rahman Pramanik, Deputy Commissioner (South) of city police, said that those involved in the extortion and the attack and vandalism are being identified. 'We are not naming anyone right now. We are identifying those involved. Legal action will certainly be taken against them. The process of filing the case is underway,' he said.
Who is this David Imon?
The real name of the person who made the extortion demand is Mobarak Hossain Imon, known as David Imon. He is known as a follower of Sajjad Ali, alias Boro Sajjad, who is a fugitive abroad. His home is in Fatikchhari Upazila of Chittagong.
When contacted on a WhatsApp number, Mobarak Hossain Imon admitted to calling the owner of DDN and demanding money. He told this correspondent over the phone, "I did not ask for any extortion. I asked for a percentage of the business."
When asked why they should give you a percentage, Imon replied, "They (the DDN owners) could not even stand in Bakalia at one time, let alone do business. Using our name and under our shelter, they did business and now they are established. There was an agreement that they would give a percentage of the business. But they did not give a single taka. A lot of money has accumulated. I called them to ask for that money."
Regarding the attack and vandalism, Imon claimed that the owners themselves got people to vandalize the place and filed a complaint in his name because they did not want to pay.
However, DDN director Mohammad Ridwanul Kabir said, "We, who are in this establishment, have grown up here from the very beginning. We are locals. We do not need anyone's shelter to do our business. We have been doing business since 2005. We did it during the Awami League era as well. We also did it earlier during the BNP era."
According to police sources, there are a total of seven cases against Imon, including the double murder on Bakalia Access Road and the murder of 'Dhakaia Akbar' in Patenga.
