He hired a three-wheeler and to avoid the dense traffic at Bijoy Sarani intersection, he asked the driver to take a left after the Farmgate Police box traffic signal.

The traffic signal turned red at the Manik Mia Avenue intersection and the vehicle came to a halt.

Musabbir was doing his last minute revisions, when from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a beggar making way through the traffic towards his three-wheeler. The beggar approached the side where Musabbir sat.

He looked at the beggar who put his right hand forward while the left was behind his back.

Musabbir tried to dismiss the beggar. At this, the beggar came closer to the opening of the CNG and showed his left hand. Musabbir was bewildered...the beggar had a handful of fly-infested human faeces.

The beggar indicated that he would throw the excreta at Musabbir, if he did not give him some money instantly. The boy shrank to the farthest side of the CNG and took out his wallet. At this point, the CNG driver noticed what was happening and began shouting at the beggar.

But the beggar was not even fazed by the driver's threats and simply focussed on Musabbir. Musabbir took out a Tk 2, but the beggar pointed to the Tk 100 note that could be seen in the wallet. Musabbir gave him a Tk 50 note and was saved from the appalling incident as the signal light turned green. The beggar quickly moved into the bustling traffic as the CNG sped towards Farmgate police box.

Incidents like these are a regular occurrence at various traffic signals and alleys and streets of the Farmgate area, according to victims who are mainly unsuspecting women, children and young adults.

"I was caught in a similar situation near Karwan Bazar and managed to get away by throwing a Tk 5 coin toward the beggar and screaming at the CNG driver to drive away as fast as he could," said Shenjuti Rashid, a resident of Moghbazar. Rashid commutes daily to her office at Karwan Bazar.

Other regular commuters of the Farmgate area told Star City that a particular criminal has been operating in the area for the last one and a half years.

"He operates near the Karwan Bazar-FDC area and used the same technique to extract money from people," said another victim, under condition of anonymity.

But now this has surprisingly turned out to be the method of thieving by a group of around 10 to 15 miscreants who are operating in a number of spots in the Farmgate area.

Victims allege that these criminals operate in areas like Karwan Bazar, Manik Mia Avenue and West Nakhalpara during the day and in neighbouring areas of Monipuri Para, Bijoy Sarani, East Nakhalpara and Farmgate by dusk.

Residents said that this group mainly consists of drug addicts.

"Each miscreant makes around Tk 50 to as much as possible from their victims, using such tactics. These methods are quite lucrative to support their addiction," said Monirul, a resident of West Nakhalpara.

Residents fear that these nuisances will increase if authorities concerned will not able to stop them.

"The Farmgate area may turn out to be a criminal spot full of blackmailing beggars just like Old Dhaka, Motijheel and Gulistan," said Khalil Haider, another resident of West Nakhalpara.

Victims and residents also alleged that the silence by local police authorities encourages these criminals to continue.

"Some traffic constables and patrolling policemen are possibly receiving a share from these groups," said Rafiq, a CNG driver. Rafiq has been a witness to such incidents twice.

"It would have been impossible for these criminals to operate in broad daylight, if the policemen concerned were actually doing their duty" he said.

The Duty Officer of Tejgaon Police Station, however, denied the allegation.

"We have received complaints about these beggars and we are doing our best to apprehend them," he said.

He said that beggars arrested in these areas are transferred to the vagrant homes while criminals and addicts, feigning to be beggars, are rather elusive.

"Nevertheless, we hope to bring a stop to their operations provided that the residents of the area and victims cooperate with us with information and written complaints," he said.