During last week, local shrimp traders, mostly Hindus received letters from Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) cadres demanding toll that ranged from Tk one lakh to two lakh. In those letters, the PBCP cadres threatened to kill if anyone failed to comply with.

Meanwhile, some of the threatened have taken refuge at upazila sadar and at district sadar. Hardly any male member of those families dared to stay home in Tuar danga, Khajra, Jailpatna and adjacent villages.

In last week, locals saw so many letters carrying death threats and demand for tolls that it triggered a panic among them. Of the recipient families, some paid tolls after negotiation with the outlaws while the rest have deserted their homes.