Businessman tortured, forced to pay Tk 4cr at gunpoint

A businessman in Abhaynagar upazila of Jashore was allegedly held at gunpoint, partially buried in sand and extorted of Tk 4 crore in multiple phases by a suspended BNP leader and a local journalist.

The victim Shahnewaz Kabir Tipu, 48, is the owner of Jafridi Enterprise in the Nawapara Bazar area.

Tipu's wife, Asma Khatun, filed a written complaint with Rajghat Army Camp in Abhaynagar regarding this matter on July 31, said Lance Corporal Nadim Mahmud of the army camp.

The trader has fled the area with his family over safety concerns.

On the morning of September 2 last year, a man named Saikat Hossain Hira took Tipu to the personal office of one Asaduzzaman Jony, the suspended organising secretary of Nawapara municipal unit of BNP, according to the complaint.

There, Jony beat him up and demanded Tk 2 crore at gunpoint. Asma later transferred the money to Jony's company account, following which her husband was released, it said.

Then, on September 18 last year, Tipu was intercepted by Hira on his way to Nawapara Bazar from Chalisia on a motorcycle. His phone was found switched off until 3:00pm that day. Later, it was learned that he had been taken to Kona Eco Park, allegedly controlled by Jony.

In the complaint, Asma said that when she arrived at the park, she too was attacked at gunpoint by Jony, Samrat Hossain and Nawapara Press Club General Secretary Mofiz Uddin.

The attackers dug a pit, buried her husband up to his chest in sand and demanded another Tk 2 crore, she said.

Tipu was forced to call his business manager and ask him to arrange the money. Subsequently, Tk 68 lakh was transferred from Pubali Bank and Tk 32 lakh from SBAC Bank to a bank account belonging to journalist Mofiz.

Mofiz allegedly coerced a cheque worth Tk 1 crore from them. The businessman was later released with death threats if he revealed the information to anyone, according to the complaint.

"My husband fled the area out of fear -- we are left with nothing," Asma told The Daily Star.

Tipu's business has nearly shut down.

"We are completely devastated -- I want justice."

The Daily Star could not reach Jony for comments despite repeated attempts.

"I am not the person you are looking for -- I am not in a position to talk," Mofiz said.

Abhaynagar Police Station OC Abdul Alim said necessary action will be taken after investigation.