An officer of the Department of Narcotics Control who used his position to extort money from a former Union Parishad member has been compelled to submit the bribes he collected.
The officer in question was identified as Sipahi Bellal Hossain of the Gaurnadi Circle unit of narcotics control.
According to Department of Narcotics Control sources, Bellal, who is a low ranking officer, would often identify himself as an official of the Intelligence Department of PM Directorate or an upper level official of the of the Department of Narcotics Control in order to collect bribes from locals by threatening arrest.
In one such instance, Bellal on January 7 extorted Tk10,000 from Obinash Chandra Mistri, a former UP member of Batajor Union of Gaurnadi Batajor.
According to Obinash, Bellal came to his house on the day along with two associates. The officer then brandished documents claiming he was an official of the Intelligence Department, and alleged that complaints had been filed against Obinash for selling drugs.
Local UP member Shukumar Shikari immediately went to the location after hearing the news and plead for Obinash to be released, but Belal refused to do so until Obinash gave him Tk10,000. The narcotics control officer also threatened Obinash and asked him to keep silent, saying it would be harmful for him if people learned of the matter.
On January 10, Obinash lodged written complaints against Bellal and his accomplices.
After news of the incident spread, UP Anti-Corruption Commission General Editor Jamal Uddin gave the order for Bellal to submit the bribe money to Inspector Mustafizur Rahman of the Gaurnadi circle unit of the Department of Narcotics Control.
Department of Narcotics Control Barisal Deputy Director Moloy Bhushan Chaterjee told the Dhaka Tribune that they will take departmental actin against Bellal once they received the written complaint.
Monday, March 17, 2025
