A covered van belonging to AJR Courier Service was set ablaze in Dhaka amid allegations of repeated extortion demands, vandalism and arson targeting the company. The fire destroyed a significant quantity of customers’ goods and important documents, including materials belonging to banks and insurance companies. The company has estimated the initial financial loss at between Tk 1 crore and Tk 1.5 crore, warning that the final figure could be higher once the damage has been fully assessed.
The incident took place at around 9.30pm on Thursday, 5 November, in front of the Rayerbazar wholesale market in the capital.
Confirming the incident, Assistant Sub-Inspector Altaf of Mohammadpur Police Station said the individuals responsible for setting fire to the vehicle had not yet been identified. Police were working to establish who was involved, and senior officials had been informed so that the incident could be examined.
Jayanta Chowdhury, Assistant General Manager of AJR Group, alleged that a prominent criminal gang had been demanding extortion money from the company for a considerable period. According to him, the group had repeatedly attacked the company’s offices and vehicles, resorting to vandalism and arson after its demands were rejected.
Chowdhury said the company’s office in Narayanganj had previously been set on fire. Vehicles belonging to the organisation were also targeted in separate arson incidents in Shahbagh and Rayerbazar. He further alleged that, in Mirpur, attackers had thrown a petrol bomb and attempted to set an employee’s body on fire in an apparent attempt to kill him.
The latest incident has caused substantial losses for customers and businesses that rely on AJR’s courier services. Goods belonging to small businesses, along with important documents associated with banks and insurance companies, were among the items destroyed in the blaze. The loss of such documents could also create administrative complications for the organisations concerned.
According to Chowdhury, the preliminary assessment puts the financial damage at between Tk 1 crore and Tk 1.5 crore. However, the valuation of the destroyed banking and insurance documents has not yet been completed. The final assessment could therefore reveal a higher figure, particularly if the cost of recovering or replacing important records is taken into account.
He also expressed concern about the impact of the repeated attacks on the company’s workforce. A substantial proportion of AJR’s employees come from low-income backgrounds, and any prolonged disruption to business operations could threaten their livelihoods.
“The majority of our employees are from low-income families. These incidents could make their employment uncertain. We are seeking urgent government intervention to ensure the safety of our employees and keep the company’s operations running normally. Those responsible for the attacks and acts of sabotage must be brought to justice without delay,” he said.
Earlier Attack on Hazaribagh Warehouse
The latest arson incident follows an attack on an AJR Parcel and Courier Service Limited warehouse in Hazaribagh, Dhaka, on 20 October. The premises were reportedly vandalised and looted by a large group of people.
The company alleged that between 70 and 80 individuals took part in the attack and stole equipment worth approximately Tk 31 lakh. AJR initially sought to file a robbery case, but police reportedly said the primary motive behind the incident appeared to be extortion. They indicated that a case would be accepted on extortion charges.
On 21 October, Afsar Uddin, the company’s Manager of Human Resources and Administration, submitted a written complaint to Hazaribagh Police Station against 70 to 80 unidentified individuals. He also claimed that an unidentified caller threatened to kill him after the complaint was lodged.
According to the details provided in the complaint, the attackers arrived at the warehouse’s western gate on 35 to 40 motorcycles. Most were wearing face masks and helmets to conceal their identities. Between 40 and 50 individuals allegedly broke the CCTV cameras before entering the premises, while the remaining members of the group stayed outside.
The complaint also stated that several attackers were carrying firearms and weapons resembling short-barrelled shotguns. Their alleged presence added to the intimidation faced by the warehouse staff during the incident.
The company provided a detailed inventory of the equipment it claimed had been stolen. The list included one Cisco core device, one router, nine Dahua network video recorders (NVRs) of different capacities, 38 hard drives with storage capacities of 10 terabytes each, one server rack, 40 cameras, eight central processing units (CPUs), eight monitors and one laptop. The estimated market value of the stolen equipment was approximately Tk 31 lakh.
Allegations of Surveillance and Further Threats
The written complaint also described suspicious activity in the days preceding the warehouse attack.
According to the company, at around 10.30pm on 18 October, two individuals arrived at the warehouse on a motorcycle and asked for Nizam Uddin, the operations manager. When they could not find him, they allegedly intimidated the security guards before leaving the premises. The company claimed that CCTV footage of the incident was available.
The complaint further alleged that a person named Jewel had disclosed plans to attack, loot and occupy another office belonging to the company. Afsar Uddin also claimed that a person named Saiful had telephoned him after the looting incident and threatened him in an attempt to prevent the matter from becoming public.
The company also alleged that extortion demands had previously been made using the name of Captain Imon.
Growing Security Concerns for the Business
The sequence of allegations, ranging from extortion demands and threats to warehouse looting and vehicle arson, has raised serious concerns about the security of AJR Group’s operations. The company says the incidents have affected its ability to conduct business normally and have placed employees under considerable uncertainty.
Courier companies play an important role in transporting commercial goods, personal belongings and sensitive documents. Their operations depend on the safe movement of consignments and the protection of customers’ property. Attacks on vehicles or warehouses can therefore affect not only the service provider but also businesses and individuals relying on timely deliveries.
AJR Group has called on the government to intervene urgently, strengthen security arrangements and ensure that its employees can work without fear. It has also demanded swift action against those responsible for the alleged extortion, attacks and arson.
However, the allegations against the individuals and groups mentioned in the complaints have yet to be independently established. Investigators will need to determine whether the latest fire is connected to the earlier incidents and whether the same people were involved in the reported attacks.
Identifying those responsible, establishing the motives behind the incidents and ensuring accountability will be essential to restoring confidence in the company’s operations and protecting the interests of its employees and customers.
