Ex BNP lawmaker Shahidul Master among 13 sued for extortion

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JHENAIDAH, July 23 (UNB): Another extortion case was filed against 13 people, including former Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) lawmaker Shahidul Islam Master, here Saturday.
A retired member of Navy, Sheikh Shamsul Alam, of Fatepur village in Moheshpur Upazila filed the case with the local police station at about 10:30 pm.
The other accused are Giyasuddin, Mohiuddin, Rafiqul Islam, Lutfar Rahman, Golam Farook, Mozammel Hossain, Shahidullah, Ruhul Amin, Shahidul Islam, Tahurul Islam, Abdul Latif Malitha and Moshiur Rahman.
In his complaint Shamsul Alam said that 14/15 cadres of the former lawmaker demanded Tk 2.0 million (20 lakh) as toll from him on October 4, 2001 when he was preparing to cultivate fish in his water body by raising a dam.
Alam said as refused to comply with the demand, on October 10, the BNP leader along with his activists captured his water body and forcibly kept it in their possession until August 20, 2004. Consequently, he said, he had to incur loss worth about Tk 5.0 million.
Earlier, on July 13, general secretary of Salemanpur Matshyjibi Samabaya Samity Kartik Halder filed a case against the former MP for demanding Tk 5.25 lakh from his as toll with the same police station.