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Amir Hossain, a resident of Fatehabad village in Debidwar municipality, runs a computer-based business near the Upazila Parishad gate on College Road. According to the complaint, since August 5, Obaidul, along with 8 to 10 unidentified individuals, demanded a daily extortion of Tk 500 from Amir. Initially, Amir paid the amount for a few days but was unable to continue. When he refused to pay a fixed monthly sum of Tk 15,000, Obaidul allegedly threatened to kill him and kidnap his school-going daughter. Frightened, Amir’s daughter stopped attending school.
Amir stated that Obaidul and his group created a climate of fear by banging on doors and windows at his home, verbally abusing him day and night. Unable to bear the harassment, Amir sought help from Rizviul Ahsan, a former joint general secretary of Cumilla North District BNP, who advised him to file a case. Amir lodged the complaint on Thursday night, naming Obaidul and the unidentified accomplices.
Rizviul Ahsan Munshi, the BNP leader, emphasized a zero-tolerance stance on extortion, stating, “There’s no compromise with extortionists, regardless of their identity or party affiliation. When Amir Hossain approached me, I urged the police to take action against the culprits and anyone supporting them.”
While at the police station, Obaidul denied involvement, claiming he was framed and that the threatening messages and visits were done “for fun.” However, Debidwar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shamsuddin Mohammad Elias confirmed that Obaidul regularly demanded money from Amir, who paid through bKash for some time. When Amir failed to pay, Obaidul escalated to death threats and threats to abduct his daughter. Police verified evidence, including threatening messages and bKash transaction screenshots, before arresting Obaidul.
