Fraudulent syndicate posing as DoE threatens brick kilns, hospitals

The Department of Environment (DoE) in Cox's Bazar has filed general diaries (GD) with three police stations of the district against a syndicate demanding money from several organizations like hospitals and brick kilns, threatening them in the name of the department. 

The DoE has also sought the help of The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) to stop this syndicate of extortion.

Sheikh Mohammad Nazmul Huda, deputy director of the Department of Environment, Cox's Bazar, filed separate general diaries with Cox's Bazar Sadar, Chakaria, and Ramu police stations in this regard. 

He confirmed the matter to The Business Standard (TBS) himself. The commanding officer of RAB-15 has also been requested to take action in this regard.

Over the last few days, the syndicate has been demanding huge sums of money from several organisations over mobile phone posing as some environment department officials, said Huda. 

"We were surprised after receiving such complaints from various industrialists of the region," he added.

The diary alleges that a person introducing himself as Nazrul Islam Khan, assistant director of Chattogram DoE, asked the manager of Asian Hospital in Chakaria on 8 March to send a huge sum of money to a Nagad account (01823967493). 

The man threatened the manager with a mobile court drive at the hospital, fining a huge sum if he did not send the money.

On 5 March, someone introducing himself as Mahbub, a Cox's Bazar DoE official, demanded money from Taki, the owner of TK Bricks in Eidgaon upazila, over a mobile phone number (01723555332). 

Taki was also threatened that his brick kiln would be demolished if he did not pay the money.