On Wednesday afternoon a person named Shintu alias Advocate Shintu identifying himself to be the head of the political cell of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called from a cell phone number 01719314578 and asked the editor of Weekly Blitz, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury to handover TK. 500,000 cash as extortion by Thursday morning, otherwise, the called threatened Mr. Choudhury of diar consequence and gave life threat.
On initial investigation it was revealed that Shintu earlier worked with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during 1996-2001. He claims to be also close aide of Amir Hossain Amu and a number of other senior leaders of Awami League.
After receiving threat from this person Weekly Blitz editor has already asked his lawyers to take legal actions in this regard.
Extortion is a serious crime in Bangladesh, but since the inception of new government through December 29 General Election in the country, a large number of people, taking political names are getting involved in collecting extortion as well as other forms of notorious crimes, thus pressing the law and order situation to an extreme volatile status.
Commenting on the extortion demand and life threat by the so-called advisor to the Prime Minister, Weekly Blitz editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury said, law enforcing agencies are already vigilant in taking action against such culprits. He said, Bangladesh government should instruct the law enforcing agencies in investigating the matter and arresting Shintu and his gang for the sake of according security to people of this country.
This is for the first time, after the inception of the new government, some people using the name of the Prime Minister has given threat to the editor of newspaper as well as demanded extortion.
