Extortion and grabbing plague Kalyanpur slum

Several groups, some claiming links to the ruling party, have allegedly been involved in grabbing shops and slum houses, as well as extortion and intimidation, in the Kalyanpur Porabosti slum area of Dhaka.

Many victims said they sought law enforcers’ intervention, to no avail. Some have left the area out of fear, while others said they were forced to comply with the alleged perpetrators’ demands.

The Daily Star learned of around 15 such incidents. In some cases, victims filed complaints with police, while others remained silent fearing reprisals.

Sohag, who claims to be a Jubo Dal activist, has allegedly established control over parts of the slum and nearby areas with the help of his relatives and some teen gang members. He buys scrap goods and stolen materials at low prices by intimidating shop owners and uses his group to control local contracting work.

Victims

Many also alleged that police tried to settle the issues between victims and  criminals.

Md Russel, 40, a contractor who secured a waste management contract at Ibn Sina Hospital’s Kalyanpur branch on April 1 this year, alleged that one Sohag tried to take over the work and later demanded Tk 15,000 in monthly extortion from him.

Sohag, who claims to be a Jubo Dal activist, has allegedly established control over parts of the slum and nearby areas with the help of his relatives and some teen gang members.

When Russel refused, Sohag allegedly led a group of 20-25 people who abducted him from in front of Mizan Tower on April 10, took him inside the slum, and beat him. Locals later rescued him after hearing his screams and took him to a hospital.

Russel also said he filed a complaint with Mirpur Police Station two days later, but police subsequently compelled him to settle the matter with the accused.

Victims said Sohag buys scrap goods and stolen materials at low prices by intimidating shop owners and uses his group to control local contracting work. Allegations of mugging, assault, abduction, and grabbing houses have also been raised against him.

Nasima Azad, another victim, said Comfort Kamal -- who claims to be convener of the Ward 11 Swechchhasebak Dal unit -- has been forcibly collecting Tk 5,000 monthly from her shop in Deshmoy Super Market adjacent to the slum for the past 20 months.

After lodging complaints with the market authorities, she was advised to approach law enforcers. She filed a general diary with Mirpur Police Station on October 20, 2025, and later a case on February 2, 2026, but has yet to receive any remedy.

The accused individuals claim affiliation with BNP, Jubo Dal, or Swechchhasebak Dal, but no committees of those organisations currently exist in the area. They attended Awami League programmes in the past and now join BNP rallies to use this political identity while engaging in criminal activities.

Shakil Ahmed Swapan General secretary, ward-11 unit of BNP

Nasima said she has been struggling financially since her husband died in 2021. She currently lives in Singair of Manikganj and depends on the shop rent for survival, but managing it from a distance has become increasingly difficult.

Abdur Rashid, another trader at the market, said soon after he rented a shop on August 1, 2025, Kamal demanded Tk 1,000 from him. When he refused, a group of 10-12 people came to his shop, threatened him, and forced him to sign a non-judicial stamp paper worth Tk 1 lakh on the pretext of settling a dispute.

Although the dispute was later resolved, Rashid said the document has not been returned. He submitted a written complaint to the market authorities, but no action followed.

Several other traders at the market made similar allegations.

Contacted, Rafiqul Islam Rafi, chairman of the market committee, said Kamal had been appointed as an office assistant at the market in August 2024. Following multiple allegations, a three-member probe committee was formed, which found evidence supporting the accusations. Kamal was terminated in March 2026.

He said Kamal had also set up a tea stall inside the market by blocking an alley and collected extortion money from vendors on the footpath outside the market. He advised victims to seek legal action.

The highest number of allegations, however, was found against Tarikul Islam Tarik, who claims to be convener of the Ward 11 Jubo Dal unit.

According to locals, Tarik used to work as a construction worker. Since the August 5 political changeover in 2024, he has allegedly been grabbing shops and houses in the slum by threatening owners with photos or videos showing their participation in Awami League rallies.

Victims were often forced to sign stamp papers under the guise of selling their properties before being evicted for minimal compensation.

Rozina Begum, a victim, alleged that Tarik and his associates evicted her family from their property six months ago, accusing her husband of attending AL rallies and forcing them to hand over the property at a nominal price.

Liton Talukder, now in Saudi Arabia, said over the phone that he had operated a rickshaw garage, a fish business, and a cooperative in the slum. On the night of August 5, 2024, Tarik and his associates allegedly broke into his house, looted Tk 4.7 lakh, and took control of the property.

Unable to get any remedy despite approaching local political leaders and police at the time, Liton left the country last year.

Local residents also alleged that Tarik’s group collects electricity bills at inflated rates of Tk 15-16 per unit.

Contacted, Comfort Kamal admitted to taking control of Nasima Azad’s shop, claiming that her husband owed Tk 75,000 for construction work carried out in 2017. He denied all other allegations.

Both Nasima and the market authorities described his claim as fabricated and said Kamal had no involvement in the market’s construction.

Shakil Ahmed Swapan, general secretary of BNP’s Ward-11 unit under Dhaka North, said the accused individuals claim affiliation with BNP, Jubo Dal, or Swechchhasebak Dal, but no committees of those organisations currently exist in the area.

“They attended Awami League programmes in the past and now join BNP rallies to use this political identity while engaging in criminal activities,” he said, adding that he and others faced obstruction and harassment when they tried to protest. He also urged victims to seek legal action.

Contacted, Officer-in-Charge Golam Azam, who was withdrawn from Mirpur Police Station last week, said there had been multiple complaints from Kalyanpur Porabosti, and several individuals were arrested based on those complaints and produced before court.