The Bangladesh Journal - Jamat-i-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mujahid sued for extortion

An extortion case was lodged against former social welfare minister and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, former Jamaat lawmaker Moulana Farid Uddin Chowdhury and four others with a Sylhet court yesterday afternoon.

The other accused are Jamaat leaders Mainuddin and his brother Aziruddin and Safaruddin and his brother Moinuddin of Kanaighat upazila.

M Abdullah, son of Haji Nur uddin of Bajekhel under Kanaighat upazila, filed the case.

The complainant in his case alleged that Mainuddin demanded Tk 25 lakh from him in June, 2006 promising him to get government assistance in saving Kandla Noyabazar from the erosion of the river Lova.

Abdullah said since he is the owner of most of the shops and business establishments at the bazaar, he agreed to pay him Tk 15 lakh after the accused convinced him mentioning their close relationship with Mujahid and Farid Uddin, a former lawmaker from Sylhet-5 constituency.

He said that the accused also showed him some papers collected from the Water Development Board, Sylhet office on June 18, 2006.

Abdullah alleged that he handed over Tk 3 lakh to Aziruddin in presence of others on June 25, 2006 and paid Tk 2 lakh to Mainuddin and Safaruddin a month later.

Since there was no progress in the river erosion prevention work, Abdullah asked his money to be returned. He alleged in the case that the accused threatened him with death and dire consequences when he asked for the money.

The court sent the case to the officer-in-charge of Kanaighat Police Station and ordered him to investigate the matter.

After the new caretaker government took power in Bangladesh, several political leaders have been sued by complainants for extortion. There are speculations that such law suits are aimed at keeping certain political leaders out of elections by declaring them ineligible.