Boro Sazzad aide held over alleged Tk 10mn extortion threat against expatriate

“I spoke politely and did not behave badly. Contact my brother on the Qatar number. If we have to send the boys, the amount will be Tk 10 million instead of Tk 5 million.”

Police say Sabbir Hossain Sunny made the threat in a call to a Chattogram expatriate.

The 34-year-old, described as an associate of fugitive gangster Boro Sazzad, was arrested in Narayanganj’s Siddhirganj on Friday night, Additional Superintendent of Police Russell said.

Two young men fired shots at the gate of Runa Tower in Hamzarbagh, under Panchlaish Police Station, on Aug 10, police said.

The building’s owner, Yusuf, has two sons abroad. His elder son had faced an extortion demand, and the shooting followed after it went unpaid.

An audio recording held by police captures the demand and further threats.

The caller gave the expatriate an hour to settle the matter with his brother in Qatar, warning that a family member would otherwise be targeted first.

He then threatened the caller, saying he had spared his father because the heart patient could die.

Sunny, from Satkhira, lives in Hamzarbagh. Russell said he had been hiding in Narayanganj.

“Sunny said during preliminary questioning that he had lived abroad and returned last year on Boro Sazzad’s orders. Sazzad pays him Tk 50,000 a month,” Russell said.

Police said Sunny has been running Sazzad’s operations in place of jailed associate David Imon.