Caller allegedly demands a settlement by today as police verify recording.
A CCTV footage screengrab shows several motorcycles riding together in Hazaribagh, Dhaka, where a group of masked men later attacked an AJR Courier Service warehouse.
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A CCTV footage screengrab shows several motorcycles riding together in Hazaribagh, Dhaka, where a group of masked men later attacked an AJR Courier Service warehouse.
The complainant in the case over the attack on AJR Courier Service’s office and warehouse in the capital’s Hazaribagh has allegedly received a death threat from an unidentified caller demanding a settlement in the case by today (24 October).
Afsar Uddin, the company’s manager who filed the case after at least 45 helmeted and masked men ransacked its warehouse on 21 October, allegedly received the threatening call around 11pm on Friday, according to an audio recording obtained by this reporter.
In the recording, the caller is heard threatening the complainant, saying, “Your body will be left on the street,” while using abusive language and pressing him to settle the case.
When the complainant says he is not the owner of the company, the caller questions why he filed the case and repeats the threat. The caller also appears to mention the complainant’s residential area and the floor on which he lives.
However, The Business Standard could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio recording.
Hazaribagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mosharraf Hossain said police had spoken with the complainant after receiving the recording and were verifying it.
Afsar Uddin could not be reached for comment as his phone was switched off when this reporter called.
On 21 October, at least 45 helmeted and masked men riding 23 motorbikes allegedly ransacked AJR Courier Service’s warehouse, looting parcels, laptops and CCTV equipment.
According to company officials, the attack stemmed from a dispute over land rent. They said the company had rented the land from Sikder Group around two years ago under a contract and had been paying rent as agreed.
The company alleges that the attackers demanded that future rent be paid to Sanzidul Islam Emon, whom company officials described as a top criminal, instead of Sikder Group. They also allegedly threatened to shut down the company’s operations if it refused.
A case was filed against 70-80 unidentified people over the attack, and police arrested three people in connection with it.
Emon was not named in the case, police said.
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