Bangladesh: Student outfit suspends all units amid extortion allegations

DHAKA — Bangladesh's student group that led the violent July protest last year has announced the suspension of all its committees across the country except the Central Committee amid accusations of extortion against several of its members, local media reported on Monday.

Addressing a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday evening, Students Against Discrimination (SAD) President Rifat Rashid said, "We have observed several incidents, including yesterday's (Saturday), where individuals tried to misuse the SAD banner for unethical activities. We had warned from the beginning that such actions would not be tolerated."

"Unfortunately, under the influence of political parties, some members engaged in corrupt practices, which have now become nearly impossible for us to control," the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star, quoted the student leader as saying.

This comes against the backdrop of the arrest of five individuals, including SAD leaders and activists, by Bangladeshi police for allegedly extorting money from the family of former Awami League lawmaker Shammi Ahmed from her Gulshan residence in Dhaka.

The police said that the group claiming to be members of SAD demanded 50 lakh Bangladeshi taka on July 17. While Shammi was not present at her residence during the time, they demanded the money from her husband, who paid 10 lakh taka that day.

Subsequently, the group was arrested by the police on Saturday when they returned to collect the remaining 40 lakh from the residence.

On Sunday, Umama Fatema, a former SAD leader, alleged that the arrested individuals were widely known for their "unruly behaviour" and were closely associated with top leaders of last year's anti-discrimination movement.

"These boys have long been seen providing protocol for the leaders -- from the Secretariat to processions, meetings, and even clashes, they acted as the coordinators' right-hand and left-hand men, moving around freely and without restrictions. Everyone pretending to be surprised is, frankly, a bit ridiculous. People are reacting as if they just discovered these boys are extortionists. The truth is, this is simply the first time they got caught," she said in her social media post.

Several past allegations of misconduct involving SAD members have emerged, local media reported.

In May, student activists in the Mirpur region of Dhaka allegedly detained a contractor at their office, searched through his phone, and demanded 5 crore taka.

Additionally, in March, police took into custody 14 people, including a SAD coordinator, for allegedly looting Kabico Limited in Kalabagan and stealing 3 lakh along with four computers.

These student leaders earlier collaborated with Yunus and several political outfits to overthrow the democratically elected Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.