'Give bribe or become a victim of crossfire’

The officer-in-charge (OC) of Baliadangi police station in Thakurgaon has been accused of threatening to put a man in a crossfire unless he gave him a bribe. 

The reported victim, Ashim Hayat Panjab, during a press briefing held at the Baliadangi Press Club on Tuesday, told reporters that Baliadangi police station OC Habibul Haque Pradhan had threatened to kill him in crossfire and implicate him in a narcotics case if he failed to provide him with Tk3 lakh as bribe money.

Pradhan allegedly threatened the victim, saying that the latter was a drug dealer and had narcotics cases filed against him. 

"Thus, if you want to live, if you want to be well, you will have to pay Tk3 lakh as bribe and then no one will disturb you. But if you tell anybody about this, you will be put in a crossfire," the Baliadangi police station chief reportedly threatened Ashim.

The victim, who is a local fruit seller, claimed that he was being framed by the police and drug peddlers for protesting the drug trade in the district's Bara Palashbari union under Baliadangi upazila.

According to the victim, Baniabasti, a village adjacent to the Indian border in Thakurgaon, is infamous for drug smuggling and trafficking.

Ashim told the reporters that he had always protested against drugs and he with the help of the locals had already handed over many drug peddlers to the police.

And for this, he said, the local drug traders along with the police had been trying to frame him in concocted charges.

However, denying all allegations against him, Baliadangi police station OC Habibul Haque Pradhan said: "Ashim is a listed drug peddler. There are four to five cases filed against him. 

"No one asked for a bribe from him. He is making such allegations to save himself."