According to a case filed with Tejgaon Police Station, Huda called Wahidur Rahman Azad, the complainant, to BSEHR (Bangladesh Society for Enforcement of Human Rights) office in February 2003 and demanded Tk 10 lakh in cash.

Huda also gave an alternative to Azad, asking him to construct a conference room for the organisation.

Azad said he agreed to build the conference room due to continuous pressure from Huda and it cost him Tk 5.5 lakh.

On completion of the work in three months, Azad demanded the money he spent for the work from Huda, Sigma and Alena.

They threatened to create problem in getting his payments from the R&H department if he demanded the money, alleged the plaintiff.

Huda is a member of the national committee of the BSEHR, Sigma is its secretary general and Alena Khan is its executive director.

According to the first information report (FIR) of another case filed with Shahbagh Police Station, Huda and his wife gave the plaintiff a verbal instruction to construct a boundary wall and a one-storey building for the BSEHR on College Road.

Later, Azad got a work order through a letter signed by Alena Khan on July 7, 2005 and completed the work at a cost of Tk 41.26 lakh.

When Azad went to submit the bill, Alena asked him to submit a bill between Tk 18 and 20 lakh.

Azad submitted a bill of Tk 19.71 lakh, which he said has not been paid yet.

After receiving the FIRs, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court directed the investigation officers of the two cases to submit probe reports by July 27.

ALENA DENIES ALLEGATION
Alena Khan denied the charges brought against her saying she was not in the policy making position at the BSEHR in 2003.

She said she will take legal action against Azad for bringing a "false charge" against her.

Meanwhile, an extortion case was filed against Shajahan Mia, a former lawmaker of Chapainawabganj-1, and four others yesterday, reported our district correspondent.

The plaintiff in the case statement said that he gave Tk 170,000 to the accused to get allotment of a shop in the newly constructed Kansat market.

"But neither they gave me the shop nor returned the money," alleged the complainant.

The other accused are Abu Musa, Humayun, Badal and Yusuf Ali.

Our Sylhet correspondent reported that magistrate Devjit Sinha of a district cognisance court sent an extortion case against Shahinur Pasha Chowdhury, a former lawmaker of Islami Oikya Jote, and three others to Kotwali Police Station for investigation.

Mashuque Miah of village Zoida under Jagonnathpur upazila of Sunamganj district filed the case.

According to the complainant, the accused took Tk 50,000 on July 7 last year from him and other villagers on the plea of ensuring power supply from Palli Bidyut Samity.

But the former lawmaker failed to do the job and misbehaved with them (the villagers) when they demanded returning of their money, alleged the plaintiff.