Businessmen held, tortured for money

Police have suspended three members of DMP's Detective Branch for picking up several Moghbazar-based businessmen and torturing them until the families paid hefty sums for their release.

Inspector Bahauddin Faruqui, a sub-Inspector and a constable were suspended after a primary investigation found that they picked up and tortured people in custody, Abdul Baten, joint commissioner of the DB, said last night.

Baten, however, said the allegations of receiving money did not arise, adding that a thorough investigation was underway.

A team of DB men picked up Moghbazar-based CNG-run auto-rickshaw trader Billal Hossain from his home in the capital's Mohammadpur on November 19 and demanded a huge sum for his release, said a police source.

As Billal did not agree to give them money, they began to intimidate him.

At one stage, Billal's wife communicated with a DB assistant commissioner's cousin named Amin, who contacted the DB team and took Tk 8 lakh from the family. Billal was freed soon afterwards.

After his release, Billal came to know that some other auto-rickshaw traders were picked up by the DB men who took money for their release.

Angered by the harassment, the businessmen met Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and informed him about the matter.

The home boss then instructed the DMP high-ups to investigate the matter and take action against the policemen responsible.

“Ramna Zonal team of DB picked me up like they picked others and took money,” Billal told The Daily Star last night.

Including this incident, at least eight stories of police involvement in similar crimes were reported in the media in the last two months. 

On November 23, a probe by the Police Headquarters found that 11 officials of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took Tk 45 lakh from a businessman in Fakirapool.

Two policemen of Brahmanbaria Sadar Model Police Station and a woman were arrested on November 21 for their alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a man and taking ransom for his release.

On October 26, seven DB officials in Cox's Bazar were arrested with Tk 17 lakh they took from the family of a blanket trader they had kidnapped.