Alleged extortion threats against businessmen in Chittagong have led to the arrest of a man in Narayanganj, following claims that he demanded money over phone calls and threatened attacks for non-payment.
Sabbir Hossain alias Sunny was arrested during a police operation in Narayanganj on Friday night over the allegations. He allegedly targeted businessmen in the city's Panchlaish area.
During one such call, Sabbir said: “Contact your brother. You will contact him within 1 o’clock, all right? If I have to send boys and make something happen even once, the amount will become Tk 50 lakh or Tk 1 crore. It will not be reduced.”
According to police, Sabbir is an associate of Sazzad Ali alias Boro Sazzad, a top criminal from Chittagong who is currently a fugitive abroad. Although his home is in Satkhira, he has been living in the Hamjarbag area of Chittagong city for a long time.
Police sources said that last August, Sabbir called Mohammad Shawkat, the son of expatriate Mohammad Yusuf, a resident of Hamjarbag, and demanded extortion money. Shawkat is also an expatriate businessman.
During the phone call, Sabbir threatened to harm Shawkat's family members and said: “Contact your brother. Talk to him. Contact his Qatar number and settle the matter. If you do not settle it, we will first turn any one member of your family into a hornet's nest and start playing. Then, gradually, we will come after you. I did not call your father. He is a heart patient, and he might die or something. That is why I informed you.”
Police said they have an audio recording of the phone conversation. Following the extortion threats, shots were also fired at the gate of Yusuf's building.
Since then, police had been trying to arrest Sabbir, but he had been in hiding.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday afternoon, Chittagong Superintendent of Police Masud Alam said: “During interrogation, it was learnt that Sabbir received a monthly salary of Tk 50,000 from Boro Sazzad. He was also assigned the responsibility of carrying out extortion and other criminal activities in place of David Imon, who is in prison. Sabbir demanded extortion money over mobile phone calls under the instructions of Boro Sazzad and his associate Borhan Uddin.”
The superintendent of police further said: “Sabbir rarely appeared in public. His job was to call and demand extortion money according to the instructions of Sazzad and Borhan. Detailed information about the businessmen or industrialists from whom extortion money was demanded was collected beforehand. Police have information that Boro Sazzad collected this information through another group. Sabbir would then call and set a deadline for paying the money. If the money was not paid, he would threaten to send people to carry out attacks or open fire. Armed attacks were also carried out in accordance with these threats.”
Masud Alam said: “The arrested Sabbir has 2 cases against him at Panchlaish and Hathazari police stations in Chittagong. Although he demanded extortion money, most victims did not file cases out of fear.”
Police sources said that on June 20, Sabbir was seen brandishing a firearm and firing shots in the Kalurghat Industrial Area in the Chandgaon area of the city.
The incident was captured in a 37-second CCTV footage that circulated on social media platform Facebook. The footage shows a man wearing a T-shirt standing on the road and firing blank shots towards a factory. Later, as he walks along the road, he is seen raising his pistol and firing again.
Police identified the man in the footage as Sabbir.