Activist held on extortion charge
Police arrested the convener of Rajshahi Rakkha Sangram Parishad (RRSP), a local organisation for social movement, early yesterday, hours after an extortion case was filed against him.
Arrested Jamat Khan, a contractor and convener of the body since its inception 14 years ago, was sent to Rajshahi Central Jail custody after he was produced before a court in the afternoon.
The first court of metropolitan magistrate Amirul Islam aslo granted a three-day police remand for interrogating Jamat.
Earlier, police arrested him from his Shastitala residence of the town in connection with an extortion case, said Shahadat Hossain, OC of Boalia police station.
Atiqur Rahman, a freedom fighter and contractor, lodged the case alleging that Jamat Khan demanded Tk50 thousand from him on January 2 for organisational activities. He also threatened him with dire consequences if he did not comply, according to the case.
Quoting the case, sub inspector Hafizur Rahman of the PS said, Atiqur alleged that Jamat used to extort him when he was a contractor of Water Development Board.
Recently he was pressurising him for giving toll, Atiqur stated in his case.
RRSP leaders and activists are yet to give any official reaction to the arrest. However, their attempts to bring out a procession were foiled as a huge contingent of police was deployed in the city since his arrest.
Meanwhile, scores of pro-Awami League leaders and activists under the banner of 'Citizens of Rajshahi' formed a human chain at Shaheb Bazar in the afternoon demanding immediate trial of Jamat Khan on charge of extortion.
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