Not rampant, but it's there

Extortionists intercepted cattle-laden trucks in the city's Hazaribagh and Mohammadpur Beribadh areas and forced traders to take sacrificial animals to particular markets earlier this week.

They even physically assaulted some traders for not following their instruction, traders alleged.

A few traders managed to reach markets of their choice after paying extortion money.

A similar problem was confronted by some traders in the Padma when they were carrying animals on a trawler at Kamolaghat of Munshiganj. A group of thugs tried to take their cattle to a market in the district, said traders.

Traders, however, did not face any problem on highways.

Md Nazir Ali along with some other traders has brought 20 bulls from Harinakunda of Jhenidah to Dhupkhola cattle market, one of the 23 makeshift markets in the city.

He said some youths beat them up in Hazaribagh on Tuesday to force them unload their cattle from the truck there.

“The youths swooped on us when we refused to unload cattle in Hazaribagh. We could leave the place following intervention by some cops, but it was only after having paid policemen Tk 2,000,” added Nazir.

And that was not all. He had to appease some youths at Mohammadpur Beribadh by paying them Tk 1,000.

“Like most of the cattle traders from Harinakunda, I have been bringing sacrificial animals to Dhupkhola for 15 years,” said Nazir.

He alleged thugs forced around 20 cattle-laden trucks to unload cattle in Hazaribagh and go to different markets.

Hasem Ali, another trader from Harinakunda, said he paid Tk 250 to some youths in Gabtoli on Wednesday. Otherwise, they would have forced traders to unload cattle there.

“The youths also snatched our banner which was hung from the truck. The banner carried the name of Dhupkhola cattle market,” he added.

The trader had to pay Tk 100 more to some youths at Dholaikhal on the way to Dhupkhola.

Shamsur Rahman, a trader from Faridpur, said their trawler was chased by another one carrying about eight people near Kamolaghat of Munshiganj on Wednesday.

“Around 20 traders and 60 bulls were on board. We somehow managed to scare the youths away,” he said.

However, some other trawlers were forced to anchor and unload cattle at Kamolghat, added Shamsur.

Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said they have already given instructions to the authorities concerned not to intercept any cattle-laden truck on highways.

If anyone intercepts a truck and forces traders to go to a particular cattle market, the incident should be reported to the officer-in-charge of the police station concerned or the assistant commissioner of police of that particular zone, or the police control room, he told The Daily Star.

The official said law enforcers will take action if they receive any complaint in this regard.