‘I can't believe they'd be involved in extortion’

Two brothers from Rajshahi, who used to support themselves by tutoring students in Dhaka, have now been arrested on extortion charges, which their father finds nearly impossible to accept.

Sakadaun Siam and Sadman Sadab, both students of Presidency University in the capital, were arrested on Saturday night from the Gulshan residence of former Awami League MP Shammi Ahmed, along with three others.

A Dhaka court has placed four of them, including the two brothers, on a seven-day remand.

The siblings are sons of SM Kabiruzzaman, a low-income employee at a fuel station.

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Kabiruzzaman expressed deep disbelief and distress. "They used to provide tuitions to meet their expenses. A few months ago, they stopped that, and they no longer ask for money from me. I thought they had found a better path," he said.

"I can't believe they'd be involved in extortion. This is very hard to accept," he added.

Kabiruzzaman, who spends most of his modest salary on house rent. He said that he was not in a position to financially support his sons in the capital. It was their tuition work that helped them stay afloat in Dhaka.

According to the police, both Siam and Sadab were involved with the Dhaka city unit of the Students Against Discrimination. Following their arrest, the organisation expelled them.

The other arrestees include Ibrahim Hossain Munna, the convener of the organisation's Dhaka unit, and Abdur Razzak Bin Sulaiman alias Riad, a central committee member of the Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad -- Democratic Student Council. Both of them have also been expelled from their respective organisations.