Riyad-led group targeted another former AL MP
The group led by former Students Against Discrimination leader Abdur Razzak Riyad, arrested for allegedly extorting a former Awami League lawmaker's family in Gulshan, had targeted another ex-AL MP, Abdul Kalam Azad, a month earlier, said police.
According to police and the victim, a group of 10-12 individuals led by Riyad stormed Azad's Green Road office on June 26, threatened him with public humiliation, and forced him to write cheques worth around Tk 5 crore.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Talking to The Daily Star, the former MP said the attackers demanded money, threatening that about 200 people were waiting outside to humiliate him.
"Do you want to get slapped by 200 people, get beaten with shoes by 200 people?" one of them threatened, Azad told The Daily Star.
"They said, 'Will you go to the police station yourself, or should we take you?'"
Azad said as he had no money with him, the attackers searched his drawers, found a cheque book, and coerced him into writing the cheques.
"They said I was an aide of Sheikh Hasina, so I had to pay."
Azad was elected a member of parliament in 2009 through a by-election after then prime minister Sheikh Hasina vacated the Rangpur-6 seat.
Earlier yesterday, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Media) Talebur Rahman said they recovered four cheques worth Tk 2.25 crore from Riyad's house. According to police sources, the cheques were signed by Azad.
Police said Riyad and his associates could not cash the cheques due to insufficient funds. Since then, the group had been pressuring Azad to deposit money into the account.
The process of filing a case was underway till the filing of this report at 8:00pm.
On July 26, Riyad, Ibrahim Hossain Munna, 24, Dhaka city unit convener of Student Against Discrimination; SAD members Sakadoun Siam, 22, and Sadab, 21; and a 16-year-old were arrested from the house of former MP Shammi Ahmed in Dhaka's Gulshan area, after allegedly trying to extort her family.
They are currently on remand and have been expelled from their respective organisations.
In the case filed with Gulshan Police Station, Shammi's husband, Siddique Abu Zafar, alleged that the group, identifying themselves as members of SAD, first visited their home on July 17 and demanded Tk 50 lakh in cash.
As the former MP was not home at the time, the demand was made to her husband.
"When I refused to pay, they labelled me an Awami League associate and kept pressuring me. Eventually, I gave Tk 10 lakh to Abdur Razzak Riyad," Zafar said.
He said the group returned again on July 19, banged on the door, but left when he called police.
"On July 26, Riyad and others came again. Though I was not there, the security guard informed me. They demanded the remaining Tk 40 lakh and threatened to hand me over to police if I didn't comply."
He added, "I called the police again, and five of them were arrested from the spot, while another accused, Kazi Gourab, managed to flee."
Gulshan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Hafizur Rahman said police are investigating whether the group had extorted others as well.
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