3 BNP men among 5 held for extortion

Police have arrested five people, including three local BNP leaders, in Tangail in an extortion case.

They were held in the town's Santosh between Friday night and yesterday, said Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Tanvir Ahmed.

Abdullah Al Mamun, 26, Sabbir Hossain, 20, Shah Alam, 50, Jubair Hossain, 52, and Golam Rabbani, 52, were produced before a Tangail court after the victim sued them yesterday morning, the OC added.

Of the arrestees, Rabbani is president of ward-8 unit of Tangail town BNP, Shah Alam, its general secretary, and Jubair Hossain, general secretary of ward-7 unit.

Tangail city BNP General Secretary Ejazul Haque Sabuj confirmed that the three -- Shah Alam, Jubair, and Rabbani -- are local BNP leaders and said the party will investigate the matter. If they are found to be involved in the incident, organisational action will be taken against them, he added.

According to the case statement, on Thursday night, an unidentified person handed a letter to an employee of fish trader in Santosh area , demanding Tk five lakh.

The letter was given to the trader on Friday morning.