Staff Correspondent

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Bangladesh Police, Barrister Zillur Rahman, has attributed 50% of the responsibility for ongoing extortion in various sectors of Bangladesh to political leadership.

However, he further remarked that senior police officials bear 49% of rest of the blame, leaving only 1% of the responsibility to other factors.

He came up with this statement on Saturday, December 28, at a special seminar titled “Preventing Extortion in Bangladesh” organized at the Bangladesh Institute of Social Research (BISR) Trust office in Lalmatia, Dhaka.

DIG Zillur Rahman, Commandant of Traffic and Driving School, Dhaka, stated that police officials could reduce extortion by half if they desired. However, he emphasized that political leadership must play a pivotal role in addressing this issue.

During his speech, DIG Zillur presented a detailed PowerPoint presentation explaining the various forms and aspects of extortion and the potential solutions.

He claimed that extortion had merely shifted hands since August 5, but it had not ceased. Referring to reports of large-scale looting, he noted that not all embezzled money had been laundered abroad and asked why the money is yet to be recovered forming special teams.

The DIG described the current situation as “silent extortion,” stating that society often blames the police but fails to acknowledge that many others are involved.

“Everyone in our society must act responsibly. Even those who pay extortion, encourage police involvement. If the Superintendent of Police (SP) in a district is honest, corruption in that area can be reduced by half. We are striving to restore the image of the police,” he added.

He further argued that new laws are unnecessary, as proper implementation of existing laws could lead to significant progress. “We need self-purification and reforms,” he stated. Additionally, emphasized the importance of keeping elite forces like the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), as maintaining law and order solely through the police is challenging.

Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Crime), Md. Mamun Or Rashid, noted that 164 cases had been filed in Dhaka under the Speedy Trial Act since August 5. He admitted that the law-and-order situation had been unstable immediately after August 5, prompting the reorganization of police stations.

Md. Mamun Or Rashid also emphasized the importance of public awareness, saying, “While our job is to enforce the law, creating awareness among citizens can make maintaining discipline easier and quicker.” Assistant Professor of Law and Human Rights Department at the University of Asia Pacific, Md. Saleh Akram, noted that the impact of extortion affects the entire society, not just individuals. He emphasized breaking the chains of extortion for the greater Interest of the society.

Zia Chowdhury, a Staff Correspondent at The Business Standard, termed extortion a “political-economic crisis” and suggested that political parties must ensure their members refrain from engaging in extortion at all levels, not just through top-down declarations.

Mohammad Jamil Khan, Senior Staff Reporter at The Daily Star, questioned why prices of essential goods remain high despite the absence of a political government.

He highlighted that extortion, often under the guise of associations, significantly impacts general people. For instance, he cited instances where the cost of setting up a small roadside stall in Gulistan exceeds that of renting space in a shopping mall due to extortion.

Former Additional Inspector General of Police and BISR Trust Adviser Md. Nazmul Haque remarked that while laws exist, their enforcement is lacking.

Dr. Khurshed Alam, Chairman of BISR Trust and the seminar’s moderator, shared findings from a previous study revealing that 75% of extortion victims do not file complaints, with only 25% reporting incidents. This reflects a culture of tolerance and fear, he said, which threatens the economy.

Dr. Alam stressed the need for effective monitoring committees at construction sites and other critical areas to combat extortion.

The seminar concluded with participation from university students, BISR researchers, and NGO workers, who engaged in a lively discussion on the issue.