2024-02-19 04:00:13
Opposition Deputy Leader Anisul Islam Mahmud commented that extortion has become a culture. He made this comment while participating in an unscheduled discussion in the National Parliament on Sunday (February 18).
He said, ‘Chanda De, Naile Guli’ is a media headline. Where top terrorists are mentioned. Some events they wrote. In one incident seven to eight motorcycles stopped at a high speed in front of a fast food shop called Food Court at Shireen Tower Lane in West Merul Badda. 10 to 12 people got off the motorcycle and entered the fast food shop. One of them has a pistol in his hand. Sharp knives in the hands of two people. In the meantime, the young man with the pistol in his hand moved towards Raihan, the owner of the shop. Shouting, ‘I told you that brother called. He asked for 10 lakh rupees.
A few days before that, the secretary of Motijheel Awami League was shot dead. His wife Dolly, a councillor, now receives regular telephone calls threatening to drop the case.
He also said that today extortion has become a culture. Tolls are to be paid when the transport trucks come through the road. That subscription is added to the product price. When you build a house, you have to pay for the supply of sand, bricks, and rods. Either they have to pay the subscription or they have to do the supply work. Today, extortion has become a terrible disease.
Anisul Islam Mahmud said, like hawkers, they also have to pay subscription. The hawkers who are very poor people, sell somehow to make ends meet. These poor people are even taking subscriptions. The subscription is taken from the rickshaws. They have to pay the fee at the rickshaw stand. The owners, drivers of CNG have to pay the subscription. We see many things in every part of society, even in universities. If we don’t make a movement against this culture that is developing, our country is in trouble.
He said, our parliament now has 300 members. Soon it will increase to 350 people. I have a suggestion that if all of us who are 350 pledge to ourselves that we will not support, help any extortionist but resist them if they do these things; So I think it may not be eradicated from Bangladesh, but we can reduce it a lot. I stand in this parliament and appeal to my fellow parliamentarians, let us unite in this task. No money will be spent here. Nothing is needed. Only we will pledge not to help them and resist where we know.