Refusing extortion demands now frequently carries fatal consequences. On Tuesday, 15 September, Farhad Hossain, a 25-year-old fish trader, was hacked to death inside a salon in Arshinagar, Keraniganj. The attack followed a dispute over pavement shop placements and unpaid extortion fees in Mohammadpur, Dhaka. While local gang members carried out the assault, police noted the victim was also associated with rival local factions. Just two days prior, on 13 September, armed assailants forced their way into the residence of 35-year-old Md Rana in Badda, Dhaka, shooting him over similar unpaid demands before he was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Medical professionals have also been targeted. Dr M Y F Parvez, practicing in Chattogram, reported receiving extortion calls from an overseas number demanding 10 lakh BDT. The caller, identifying himself as “Boro Sajjad,” threatened to shoot the doctor inside his consulting room if the money was not prepared within 24 hours. Dr Parvez subsequently lodged a formal general diary at Hathazari Police Station.

Community leaders attempting to resist extortion rackets face severe retaliation. Md Mannan Hossain Shaheen, President of BNP’s Ward 33 unit in Mohammadpur, disclosed during a press conference that he suffered physical attacks on 28 September 2024 after organising local community patrols. On 4 September, when he intervened to stop extortionists targeting a sewerage construction project at Chand Udyan, his associate Zisan Ahmed was injured in the ensuing clash. Shaheen added that perpetrators have since launched smear campaigns against him, threatening his family with assassination if he contests local council elections.

Former Inspector General of Police Baharul Alam emphasised that police arrests alone cannot eliminate organized extortion. He stressed the necessity of establishing a permanent, professional prosecution service to ensure legal continuity and prevent cases from collapsing due to evidentiary gaps. Echoing these concerns, Additional IGP (Crime and Operations) Khondokar Rafiqul Islam highlighted that suspect re-offending remains high when individuals exploit legal loopholes to secure bail while trial backlogs linger.

Criminologists, including Md Rezaul Karim Sohag, Chairman of the Criminology Department at Dhaka University, warn that economic vulnerabilities and lack of employment drive young people into organised criminal syndicates. Addressing extortion effectively requires combining rigorous police operations with prosecution reforms, social safety nets, and targeted youth rehabilitation.