Hannan Masud’s Close Coordinator Rabbi, Once Freed on Bond, Arrested Again for Extortion

Staff Correspondent

Another extortion incident has taken place in the Basila area of ​​Mohammadpur in the capital. The army intervened in the incident, which took place at a private hospital, and arrested five people, including Saiful Islam Rabbi (28), one of the identified extortionists and the alleged coordinator. His name had surfaced in the extortion incident earlier too, and NCP joint convener Abdul Hannan Masud had bailed him out of the police station on a bond. Rabbi Hannan is said to be very close to Masud.

These incidents have sparked intense criticism. Netizens have termed such incidents as a ‘new settlement’ of the anti-discrimination student (Boisha) coordinators and a transformation from ‘Boisha brother to Chanda brother’. They say that the intention of these extortionist-mob terrorists behind the destabilization of the country in the name of the movement was to make permanent arrangements to fill their own pockets.

It is learned that on Sunday, September 28, at around 9 pm, a drama began at a private hospital in Basila area after a stillborn baby was born. The Baischa coordinators came and demanded money from the hospital owner, Shilpi Akhter, and tried to inflame the atmosphere. When the money was not paid, the level of threats and intimidation increased. At one point, the army was called and they arrived at the scene and arrested five people.

The arrested are Saiful Islam Rabbi (28), Hasibur Rahman Farhad (31), Abdur Rahman Manik (37), Abu Sufian (29) and Md. Shahin (38).

The hospital owner said, “Taking advantage of a tragic incident, they were repeatedly pressuring me and my son to pay extortion. When I refused, they brought more people. Then I was forced to call the army.”

Mohammadpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Kazi Rafiq said, “The army has arrested five people and handed them over to us. There are multiple charges against them. A hospital owner has filed a written complaint against them for extortion, based on which the case process is underway.”

It is worth mentioning that Saiful Islam Rabbi was arrested by Mohammadpur Police Station while extorting money by posing as his coordinator. At that time, NCP leader Hannan Masud himself went to the police station and got him released on bail.

According to the police, he was released on the condition that he not engage in such activities in the future, but he did not keep his word. Hannan Masud, who gave him bail, also did not keep his word.

There are allegations that Hannan Masud also received a share of the money extorted by the coordinator Rabbi.

It is known that Rabbi’s name also came up in the incident of the siege and attempt to enter the house of Haqqani Publishers Chairman Golam Mostafa on May 19. At that time, Baishar leaders and activists gathered in front of Golam Mostafa’s house and created violence. The police arrived and arrested Rabbi and some others. However, the next day, Hannan Masud, the patron of these extortionists, went to Dhanmondi Police Station and released them on bail.

Concerned groups have expressed concern over the tendency of regular coordinators using their positions to go to various places and intimidate people to collect extortion. They claim that the common people are terrified by the way coordinators are repeatedly committing criminal acts. The administration should take strict action against these alleged coordinators.