An Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Sutrapur Police Station has been accused of extorting money in public in Dhaka. ASI Saiful Islam had allegedly extorted various sums from pedestrians in Old Dhaka after frisking them on Wednesday evening.
He behaved rudely with two journalists, including the bdnews24.com Correspondent, when approached. Ataur Rahman, a pedestrian, said he was stopped by Islam in the evening on his way to Sadarghat.“He searched me and my baggage. As he didn’t find anything suspicious, he dubbed me a drug addict and snatched Tk 2,500 from me,” Rahman alleged.
Pharmacist Riazuddin from Bhola claimed he, too, had been subjected to ‘police harassment’.
“I was on my way to Sadarghat from Mitford. ASI Saiful stopped me and demanded Tk 1,000 and slapped me when I refused.
“He is not letting me go even after giving him Tk 200,” he said.
The police officer demanded money from the pharmacist in front of the bdnews24.com Correspondent.
Asked why Riazuddin was being held even though the medicine he was carrying was legal, ASI Saiful was furious.
“Go and do whatever you can,” the police officer said arrogantly. “I will take what I demand.”
Rickshaw-van puller ‘Rokon’, standing nearby, said the ASI had extorted Tk 200 from him as well.
When contacted, Sutrapur police’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khalilur Rahman said they had received an extortion complaint against the ASI from a pharmacist.
“I have spoken to [ASI] Saiful over the matter,” he said. “Come to the police station at night, we’ll talk details then.” – bdnews24,com
