Fish sales suspended for three days in Saidpur in protest against extortion

In Nilphamari’s Saidpur, local fish traders have kept the town’s fish markets closed for three consecutive days in protest against ongoing extortion practices. The closure has caused severe inconvenience not only to local residents but also to wholesale buyers and visitors from neighbouring districts. The traders have vowed to keep their shops shut until those responsible for the extortion are brought to justice.

On Sunday night (11 January), reporters visiting the Saidpur fish market observed that all stalls remained shuttered. Earlier that afternoon, traders staged a demonstration demanding accountability and legal action against the extortionists.

According to the traders, Wakar Ali, a long-time resident of the Gopalpara area, along with several accomplices, has been routinely demanding daily extortion money from the fish market vendors. The situation escalated last Thursday when traders refused to pay the extortion fees. Enraged by the refusal, Wakar Ali and his associates allegedly assaulted several fish sellers.

Following the incident, the traders filed a written complaint with the Saidpur police and launched a protest by closing all market stalls. The strike, which started immediately after the attack, has now entered its third day.

Rahmat Ali, a fish trader, explained, “We have been paying extortion for a long time. But now the country’s situation has changed, and we cannot continue. The profits from selling fish barely sustain our families; how can we afford to give more money as extortion?”

Another vendor, Nawshad Hossain Palu, added, “We were attacked for standing against extortion. All traders decided to close shops in protest and have lodged complaints with the police. Until fair justice is delivered, the city’s fish market will remain closed. Today we protested on the streets, and if justice is delayed, we will escalate our movement further.”

The table below summarises the timeline of the recent events:

Saidpur Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge, Rezaul Karim Reza, confirmed, “A written complaint has been received, and the matter is under investigation. A resolution will be reached promptly.”

The traders’ ongoing strike underscores the growing frustration of small business owners facing criminal extortion, highlighting the urgent need for law enforcement intervention to restore public confidence and market normalcy in Saidpur.