Ctg BNP leader Dastagir jailed for extortion

A Chittagong court yesterday sentenced former general secretary of Chittagong City BNP unit Dastagir Chowdhury and his personal assistant to six years imprisonment each in connection with a case filed for extortion.
Third Assistant Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Chittagong La Mong handed down the verdict to the BNP leader and his assistant Mohammad Shahjahan.
The court recorded the depositions of seven witnesses before delivering the verdict yesterday.
According to the prosecution, a group of unidentified criminals on December 5, 2006 demanded Tk 20,000 toll from a spare automobile parts trader--Mohammad Jalal Miah of the port city's Kadamtali--on orders of Dastagir.
The criminals vandalised and looted his store twice, as
Jalal refused to pay.
Jalal filed a case with Doublemooring Police Station in this connection on February 19 this year. Police submitted the charge sheet of this case on May 14 accusing Dastagir and Shahjahan. The court framed the charge on August 05.
The joint forces arrested Dastagir, also vice-president of Chittagong Zila Krira Sangstha, on different charges at his home in Kadamtali in the city around January 16 noon. He is now behind bars but his assistant Shahjahan is absconding. Shahjahan was tried in absentia.