Extortion by elephant in Noakhali
DOT Desk
Allegations of extortion with elephants have been found in the district, reports The Daily Observer.
The people from all corners have become intolerant due to this extortion. The victims demanded immediate exemption from the hazard and punishment for the extortionists.
As per the allegation, a vested corner hires the elephants and uses them to collect tolls from people at different haats and bazaars from morning till evening. They extort toll worth Taka 10 to higher amounts. If the people especially businessmen don’t pay toll, the elephant owners try to damage their business establishments.
People of various sections in district headquarters and at Companyganj, Subarnachar, Kabirhat, Hatiya, Senbag, Chatkhil and Sonaimuri upazilas are after all intolerant due to this torture.
Very often they waylay pedestrians and stand on any main road to extort them. Sometimes, the elephants devour banana trees in localities.
A businessman Rahim Box of Maijdee Hawkers’ Market said, “We are already suffering from recession in business. On some days, there is no trade. But, in the evening, the elephants come to take toll. We have to give money otherwise our business establishments are damaged. We informed the matter to local administration but there was no result.”
Electronics trader Hasmat Ullah of Samabay Market on Karimpur road of Chowmuhany and rod-cement trader Forkan Ali of Purba Bazaar echoed the same as Rahim Box.
Police Super Ilias Sharif said, “The people can avoid this without paying money. We have got verbal complaints in this connection, but if we don’t get written complaint, we can’t take action against this.”
In this connection, Deputy Commissioner Tanmay Das said, “We sometimes receive complaints regarding extortion with elephants. But, the extortionists flee the scene before we rush to the spot. If any extortionist is caught, we try them in mobile court. We will direct upazila nirbahi officers to take action in this connection.”