Businessmen warn of halting car sales if extortion continues

Staff Correspondent

Car dealers have closed their shops for half a day and formed a human chain to protest the ongoing extortion and attacks on car showrooms in the capital. They are demanding that car sales, issuance of clearance certificates, registration and revenue collection will be suspended from next month unless the extortionists are arrested immediately and security is ensured.

Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (BARVIDA) and related businessmen participated in a human chain by keeping shops closed in Baridhara area from 10 am to 1 pm on Sunday morning. BarVIDA President Abdul Haque gave this warning at a press conference organized after the human chain.

At the press conference, he said, “Since last August, car dealers have been continuously being demanded to pay extortion. They are sending pictures of AK-47 rifles from fake numbers on WhatsApp and threatening them. Cocktail explosions have already been set off at 12 sales centers. They are being threatened over the phone – if you don’t pay, you won’t be able to run your business.”

Abdul Haque further said that although General Diaries (GDs) have been filed at various police stations after these incidents, no culprit has been arrested so far. This is causing traders to live in fear. He said, “If the extortion does not stop, we will be forced to suspend all types of commercial activities, even the payment of government revenue, from next month.”

He also said that car dealers across the country stand by the government and have taken to the streets today to express their united stance against extortion.

Traders said that in the past few months, cocktail explosions have been carried out continuously at 12 dealerships in the Baridhara and Pragati Sarani areas – such as Bismillah Car Center, Turbo Auto, Beg Auto, Car Selection, Hello Car, Zoom Auto and Biswas Import, along with several other showrooms.

After the incident, money was demanded on WhatsApp using a foreign number and threats were made by calling other sales centers—”You are the next target.” In this situation, car dealers have demanded immediate strengthening of security measures and the arrest of those involved.