Dealing with extortionists
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
EXTORTION activities, targeting specially businessmen and business organisations, are seen to be on the rise again. There was some improvement in the situation during the last caretaker government. The intervention in governance then did lead to a sort of decline in this form of crime from stern law enforcement. Things started taking a bad turn, again, after the elected government assumed power. Despite strong words from the key functionaries of the government against extortionists, the situation has tended to deteriorate with the law-enforcing agencies taking a relaxed view of the development. At the beginning, the gangs first tested the field to know for sure whether they could make a comeback under conditions of expected flexible law enforcement after the change of government. Based on the basis of their assessment of the situation, they revived their networks gradually and now appear to have expanded their operations.
Extortion demands through telephone, according to media reports, is the favourite of this section of the underworld and the targets are mainly businessmen although even professionals like doctors and others were also counted as among the victims. The notable aspect here is that the demands are not limited to smaller amounts. Failure to pay up or reporting the demands to law enforcers creates the ground for revenge and hiking up the demand. Furthermore, the targeted ones are issued death threats over telephone which are repeated in cases of non compliance; sometimes funeral clothes and other materials are reportedly sent to the targeted ones to strike terror in their minds and hearts and to soften them sufficiently to become ready to do the bidding of their tormentors. In many cases, the victims do not waste time in waiting before paying up because they had seen so many cases of swift murderous actions by the extortionists in which deaths occurred and police and others could hardly give any protection against the killings.
The police should normally be the first and main line of defence against such crimes. But the almost unanimous complaints by sufferers is that police is found to treat such matters in an unconcerned manner. Police stations typically respond to complaints about extortion by entering a record of the same in their diaries. But proactive vigilance and actions against the offenders are hardly ever seen. It then becomes like giving a free hand to the gangs to do what they like. This ineffectiveness of the police is largely helping the extortionists to flourish and be more daring in doing their crimes with the least care. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was earlier considered as more responsive to complaints about extortion and taking appropriate actions. But RAB units are few compared to the much bigger police force.
In this context, taking extortion activities by the horns and bringing their incidences down, will require the police to be truly caring in facing up to this crime. Policemen are seen as not doing their best in reaction to extortion allegation; they should be made accountable for their behaviour and subjected to departmental scrutiny to be followed by penal actions where the same would be well deserved. The home ministry needs to set up a special cell to deal with extortion activities and all departments of law enforcers should be included in it to create a special strike force against extortion. Complaints from businessmen and members of the public should be well received by it and each case should be addressed at the soonest to protect the targeted one efficiently and nab the offenders.
Business confidence remains under a stress from different factors in Bangladesh. But a big worry is being posed by extortion activities. Without a quick remedy for the same, business confidence will not quite improve and the objectives of stepped-up business activities to create income and economic growth to alleviate poverty, will be frustrated.
Extortion demands through telephone, according to media reports, is the favourite of this section of the underworld and the targets are mainly businessmen although even professionals like doctors and others were also counted as among the victims. The notable aspect here is that the demands are not limited to smaller amounts. Failure to pay up or reporting the demands to law enforcers creates the ground for revenge and hiking up the demand. Furthermore, the targeted ones are issued death threats over telephone which are repeated in cases of non compliance; sometimes funeral clothes and other materials are reportedly sent to the targeted ones to strike terror in their minds and hearts and to soften them sufficiently to become ready to do the bidding of their tormentors. In many cases, the victims do not waste time in waiting before paying up because they had seen so many cases of swift murderous actions by the extortionists in which deaths occurred and police and others could hardly give any protection against the killings.
The police should normally be the first and main line of defence against such crimes. But the almost unanimous complaints by sufferers is that police is found to treat such matters in an unconcerned manner. Police stations typically respond to complaints about extortion by entering a record of the same in their diaries. But proactive vigilance and actions against the offenders are hardly ever seen. It then becomes like giving a free hand to the gangs to do what they like. This ineffectiveness of the police is largely helping the extortionists to flourish and be more daring in doing their crimes with the least care. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) was earlier considered as more responsive to complaints about extortion and taking appropriate actions. But RAB units are few compared to the much bigger police force.
In this context, taking extortion activities by the horns and bringing their incidences down, will require the police to be truly caring in facing up to this crime. Policemen are seen as not doing their best in reaction to extortion allegation; they should be made accountable for their behaviour and subjected to departmental scrutiny to be followed by penal actions where the same would be well deserved. The home ministry needs to set up a special cell to deal with extortion activities and all departments of law enforcers should be included in it to create a special strike force against extortion. Complaints from businessmen and members of the public should be well received by it and each case should be addressed at the soonest to protect the targeted one efficiently and nab the offenders.
Business confidence remains under a stress from different factors in Bangladesh. But a big worry is being posed by extortion activities. Without a quick remedy for the same, business confidence will not quite improve and the objectives of stepped-up business activities to create income and economic growth to alleviate poverty, will be frustrated.