Outlaws demand money from 7 govt officials in Jhenidah

Issue death threats

2 April 2010, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Jhenidah

Panic gripped the government offices in Jhenidah after extremists have demanded a huge amount from seven officials and also threatened to kill them if they fail to pay. Identifying themselves as leaders of the outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP), the criminals issued the death threats on different dates in March, said the officials. Two general diaries have been lodged with Shailkupa and Kotchandpur police stations in this regard. Sources said the criminals demanded Tk 5 lakh each form sub-registrar Yousuf Ali, agriculture officer Bijoy Kumar and upazila engineer Shamsur Rahman of Shailkupa upazila and agriculture officer Krishangshu Biswas, sub-registrar Abdul Mannan, fishery officer Alfaj Uddin and upazila engineer Khairul Islam of Kotchandpur upazila between March 18 and 29. Following the threats, Krishangshu Biswas and Bijoy Kumar filed general diaries, while the others did not dare to lodge any complaints. Shamsur Rahman of Shailkupa told journalists that a criminal identifying himself as the PBCP commander demanded Tk 5 lakh over telephone and also threatened to kill him if he fails to pay. Bijoy Kumar said the extremist demanded Tk 5 lakh from him over telephone on March 18. On the same day, the criminals also demanded the same amount from others. Officer-in-charge Anwar Hossain of Shailkupa Police Station and OC Mamunur Rashid of Kotchandpur Police Station said the police would take necessary action immediately after investigations into the matters.