Most of the listed top terrorists in Dhaka’s underworld including Shahadat, Subrato Bain and Sanzidul Islam, alias Imon, are now reportedly staying in jails or  hideouts abroad, but their local accomplices in the name of their bosses are threatening different quarters including industrialists and traders and realising handsome amount of money as toll.

They are also controlling the city’s other criminal activities, detective sources said.
Imon, one of the 23 listed top terrorists in Dhaka’s underworld, is now serving 17 years of imprisonment in an arms case while Shahadat and Subrato Bain, also listed hardcore criminals, are reportedly staying in neighbouring India as fugitives.

Businessmen, particularly the owners of export-oriented garment factories, wealthy people and senior government officials often receive phone calls from the criminals for toll.

They are subjected to inhuman torture or assassination at the hands of the gangsters if they fail to meet their demand. Many industrialists and garment traders are held hostages by these branded terrorists.

In most cases, their local accomplices over mobile phone threaten different influential persons, mostly businessmen, introducing themselves as cadres of such listed top terrorists including Shahadat of Mirpur and Subrato Bain, seeking a big amount of money as toll. In many occasions, they have become success in realising the amount.

Recently, a managing director of an export-oriented garment factory “Apparels Express and Infinity Apparels Ltd located at Konabari, Gazipur  Anwaruz Saleh lodged a written complaint with RAB-1 accusing an unanimous caller for demanding toll from him.

In the complaint, the plaintiff alleged that a unanimous caller over mobile phone identifying himself as cadre of top terror Subrato Bain demanded Tk14 lakh from him as toll. “If you fail to meet our demand, you and your family members will be killed,” the caller threatened.  

“Our boss staying in neighbouring India is now operating a Dhaka-based terrorist group “007”. So we need a huge amount of money to operate the underworld group. Besides, some group members have also been arrested by police and now in jail. So we have to get them out of the jail on bail,” the caller added.   

Another businessman Faisal of Mirpur-1 alleged that a unanimous caller, introducing him as a cadre of notorious criminal Shahadat, recently demanded Tk2 lakh from him.

“If you want to run your business properly, keep the money ready or face the dire consequences,” the unidentified caller threatened Faisal.

Sources in the intelligence agencies said the criminal gangs are becoming stronger in the city with many teenagers getting involved in criminal activities such as extortion and mugging.

They formed small groups to easily carry out their activities making the city a dangerous place for the dwellers.

On August 13, Detective Branch (Tejgaon Division) of DMP arrested five alleged criminals from Bhasantek area. They are Rony, Monir Hossain Babu, alias Desperate Babu, Saiful Islam, Saheen Miah and Sohel Rana.

They used to kill and collect extortion from various people, including businessmen, of the greater Mirpur in the name of most wanted criminal  Shahdat, who is believed to be hiding in India, said an ADC of DB Division seeking anonymity.

They used to send the extorted money to their boss Shahdat, he added.

Of them, Rony is wanted in eight cases with different police stations in the greater Mirpur.

When contacted, Lt Col Ashique Billah, director (legal and media) of RAB, told daily sun it was true that the associates of some most wanted top terrorists who are in jail and abroad commit extortions and other crimes as per the order of the their bosses.

But most incidents like extortion in the name of top terrorists are fake and it is the act of the organised gangs of cheats, the RAB official added.