Extortion case filed against expelled BNP leader over attacks on Meghna Group vehicles
BNP's expelled leader Abdul Jalil. Collected photo.
A case has been filed against seven named individuals and 5 to 6 unidentified persons over allegations of extortion targeting trucks and covered vans belonging to Meghna Group in Sonargaon, Narayanganj. The primary accused is Abdul Jalil, an expelled local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The case was lodged on Wednesday night at Sonargaon Police Station by Md. Moniruddin, Manager of the Administration Department at Tanveer Dal and Flower Mills Limited, a subsidiary of Meghna Group. The matter was confirmed by Sonargaon Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Abdul Bari.
The primary accused, Abdul Jalil, previously served as the Organizing Secretary of Pirojpur Union BNP. The other named accused are his younger brother Abdul Latif (30), Sabur Khan (30), Alamgir Hossain (50), Morsalin Miah (25), Monir Hossain (23), and Abul Khair.
According to the statement, an extortion of Tk1,100 was being demanded daily for every truck and covered van belonging to Meghna Group's "Ceramic Fresh" unit under Jalil's leadership. On September 14, in the Asharoyar Char area, when truck driver Md. Farid Miah refused to pay the extortion fee, he was threatened with sharp weapons and sticks, including machetes and axes.
Farid Miah paid Tk 500 to leave the scene. The following morning, when he was confronted again for money, he said that he had already paid the previous day. The extortionists then seized his vehicle keys and harassed him until he paid an additional Tk 500 to recover the keys. The statement notes that he was threatened with murder if he disclosed the incident to anyone.
The plaintiff further alleged that under Jalil's leadership, Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,000 was systematically extorted from every vessel docked at Meghna Group's river jetty. A makeshift office located along the highway in the Ashariyar Char area was allegedly used by Jalil as a "torture cell" to execute these extortion operations.
Drivers and helpers who refused to pay were reportedly detained, assaulted, and stripped of their vehicle documents, mobile phones, and cash at the location.
Jalil was expelled from the BNP on August 22 over charges of extortion, land grabbing, breach of party discipline, and damaging the party's reputation.
His expulsion was formally announced via a press release signed by Sonargaon Upazila BNP President Azharul Islam Mannan and General Secretary Mosharaf Hossain. However, local residents reported that he continued to actively participate in various party meetings and rallies despite his expulsion.
Md. Moniruddin said, "Since the fall of the Awami League government, a group led by Abdul Jalil has been blocking company vehicles in the Ashariyar Char area to collect ransoms. Drivers have been held hostage, taken to his torture cell, beaten, and threatened at various times. Out of fear, drivers were forced to pay. They also went to the company jetty to collect money from ships. Officials and employees of the industrial group are exhausted by his extortion."
Sonargaon Police Station OC Mohammad Abdul Bari confirmed that police operations are currently underway to arrest the accused individuals.
