An armed gang accompanied by members of a local teenage syndicate allegedly vandalised and systematically looted the premises of Afsana Housing, a real estate firm located in the Arshinagar area of Keraniganj, following a refused extortion demand of £25,000 (Tk 40 lakh). The incident, which transpired at approximately 11:26 am on Sunday, 4 October, resulted in damages and stolen assets estimated at nearly £62,500 (Tk 1 crore), according to company management.
CCTV footage captured at the scene depicts a light commercial truck pulling up directly in front of the establishment. Within moments, a group of roughly thirty youths armed with ramdas—traditional large curved cleavers—and heavy wooden batons forced their way inside. Taking advantage of the vacant office space, the perpetrators systematically battered down interior doors before methodically stripping the premises of its furnishings and equipment.
The assailants loaded a wide range of office valuables onto the waiting vehicle, including air conditioning units along with their exterior compressors, premium sofa sets, executive tables, televisions, water heaters, and cash reserves. After thoroughly ransacking the property, the group absconded with the stolen goods.
Mo. Nasir, the operational manager of Afsana Housing, stated that the targeted assault was a direct reprisal after management declined to pay the demanded extortion money required to continue their commercial activities in the locality. The proprietor of the firm, Sojib Bepari, echoed these statements, asserting that organized criminal elements had deployed a local youth gang to execute the premeditated raid.
Expressing grave concern for his personal safety and the protection of his staff, Mr Bepari noted that operational activities at Afsana Housing remain entirely suspended in the wake of the terrorising incident. Following the assault, he formally lodged a criminal case with the Keraniganj Model Police Station, explicitly naming sixteen suspects in connection with the extortion, violence, and burglary.
Extortion rackets and the exploitation of juvenile gangs by seasoned local enforcement groups represent a growing security challenge across commercial pockets in outer Dhaka. Business owners in rapidly developing suburban zones frequently face violent intimidation from organised syndicates seeking illicit levies. Local law enforcement authorities have commenced preliminary investigations into the Keraniganj raid to identify and apprehend the perpetrators involved.
