Press Confce by Jubo Dal leaders, activists in Madaripur against BNP leader over extortion allegations
MadaripurCorrespondent
A press conference was held in Madaripur protesting extortion in the name of lease collection, targeting a BNP leader on Saturday afternoon in a room at Shibchar Municipal Market.
A press conference was held in Madaripur protesting extortion in the name of lease collection, targeting a BNP leader on Saturday afternoon in a room at Shibchar Municipal Market.
Present at the press conference were Upazila Jubo Dal Member Secretary candidate Russel Molla, Municipal Jubo Dal President and Upazila Jubo Dal President candidate Shahin Gomosta, Jubo Dal leader Jasim Mridha, former Joint Convener of Shibchar Upazila Chhatra Dal Khokon Kazi, former Forest and Environment Secretary of Madaripur District Jubo Dal Anik Sheikh, and other leaders and activists.At the press conference, Russel Molla stated that although the lease period of Shekpur Hat is still valid, Roman Fakir, as a new lessee, started collecting tolls without depositing the government-mandated fees into the treasury.
He began demanding extortion in the name of excess toll—compared to previous years—from small (chicken) shopkeepers in the market two months before the 1st of Baishakh, using the name of BNP and political influence through his loyal men.As a result, the image of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been severely tarnished. The largest market in Bashkandi Union, Shekpur Hat, was newly leased in the name of Shibchar Upazila BNP leader Izzam Hossain Roman for the Bengali year 1432.
He began collecting tolls in the name of lease without depositing the required government revenue.On February 28, Roman Fakir and his men demanded 6–7 lakh taka as lease money from seven chicken shops in the market.Due to this, the image of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party was severely damaged.
After I, as a Shibchar Jubo Dal leader, protested this incident, Roman Fakir's personal men and Kalam Sipai—the toll collector of this Shekpur Hat during the previous fascist government—filed a harassment case against me at the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court of Madaripur at the beginning of March. Meanwhile, the convener and member secretary of the Madaripur District Jubo Dal investigated the incident and found the extortion beyond the set toll rate to be true.Roman's gang's extortion news was published in national dailies and electronic media, after which he became angry with me.
A legal notice regarding this matter has been issued to the Upazila administration from Dhaka Judge Court.How can someone like Roman Fakir, a BNP leader, engage in extortion again in the name of toll collection using people who benefited during the fascist government’s era before the market was officially handed over? This has raised serious questions among the leaders and workers of BNP’s Bashkandi Union and Shibchar Upazila, as well as the general public.
A written complaint regarding this issue has been submitted to BNP's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. Leaders and activists have strongly condemned and protested the incident.Denying the allegations, Izzam Hossain Roman said he is unaware of the accusations against him and that the charges brought against him are not true.
Madaripur Correspondent
