How mob pressure, local power play put an NRB entrepreneur's dream venture at risk

When Risal Mahmud returned to Bangladesh from Australia, he brought with him not just two prestigious engineering degrees – from Sydney and Harvard – but a vision to build something transformative.

On a 10-acre industrial plot in Nayadingi, Manikganj, he planned to launch a joint venture with a European partner to manufacture pressurised gas vessels, processing skids, and personal protective equipment – technologies rarely produced in Bangladesh.

But in January this year, that dream shattered.

A mob stormed the site, tore down boundary walls, looted equipment, and assaulted workers. The attackers, allegedly backed by local influencers, demanded a road between two factories and broke through a part of the boundary wall.

"We offered part of our private land a few hundred metres away and even proposed co-funding the road. Still, they attacked us," Mahmud told The Business Standard.

"More frustrating, the local police did not even receive our complaint. We had to seek protection before the court. None of the clearly identified individuals were detained and they now keep threatening us and instead the police detained our employees to appease the miscreants," he said.

Mahmud, son of a reputed energy infrastructure developer in Bangladesh, earned his Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from the University of Sydney and a Master's from Harvard University.

Though an Australian citizen for long, he returned to Bangladesh to build a state-of-the-art engineering plant in partnership with a European firm.

Despite what he describes as "100% compliant land purchases" over several years, the project has faced repeated disruptions.

"No one had physically attacked us until this year. I feel helpless – abandoned by both the state and the community," he said.

Now, he's unsure whether to proceed or return to Australia.

A return with dreams

Mahmud's family firm, PEAL Engineering and Construction Ltd, has worked on energy projects in Bangladesh since 1983, partnering with global players in pipelines, process plants, and gas stations.

The Manikganj venture was set to be a joint project with a European partner relocating their manufacturing to a low-cost country.

"With them, we could manufacture large pressurised gas vessels for the first time in Bangladesh – a product in rising global demand," Mahmud said. "We could also produce processing skids for the oil and gas sector and world-class PPE for export and local use."

Another unit was planned for light engineering and automotive parts, to be developed with foreign investors and cutting-edge technology. Talks with international lenders were already underway, and the complex was expected to generate around 2,000 skilled jobs.

"But after the attack, my foreign partners are deeply concerned. They had expected swift government support, but are now demotivated," he said.

Mahmud described a string of failed attempts to gain official help. "When the officer-in-charge at the local police station rejected our plea, we wrote to the superintendent of police. I even met the deputy commissioner, who is facing pressure from locals."

Mahmud now believes politically empowered individuals, who gained influence after the recent political transition, are backing the attackers to extort the business.

'Political influence and extortion'

PEAL Engineering's General Manager Md Masum Hawlader filed a case naming 13 individuals for the 24 January attack. The complaint alleges that they, along with 70–80 unidentified others, breached the boundary, vandalised property, and looted equipment worth Tk20 lakh and Tk10 lakh respectively.

"Senior political leaders and the Manikganj administration remained silent. The criminals are still threatening our workers to abandon the site," said Mahmud. "A few days after the first attack, the mob returned. Rather than protecting us, police detained our workers to placate the crowd."

He questioned the priorities of the administration. "Should I be dealing with mobs or meeting foreign partners and lenders?" he asked. "The interim government is trying to attract foreign and NRB investors, but the ground reality is grim – we're unsafe."

Authorities seek mediation

When contacted, Manikganj Superintendent of Police Yasmin Khatun said, "This is a long-standing dispute between the villagers and the company, which requires careful handling. The deputy commissioner has initiated a mediation effort."

Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Monowar Hossain Molla confirmed that officials and community leaders were working on a resolution, and a positive outcome was expected.

An intelligence source told TBS that eight individuals have been identified as using muscle power to pressure the factory owners.

Meanwhile, PEAL's GM alleged most attackers are followers of local BNP leader Abdul Latif, who denied involvement.

"The villagers have long demanded the road. The issue was resolved by repairing the broken wall," Latif told TBS.

But Mahmud remains unconvinced. "Our people are still being threatened. Locals aren't letting us work on our own land."