Play store
A caller identifying himself as a member of the banned Sarbahara group allegedly threatened a Rajshahi University (RU) professor and demanded money for the bail expenses of jailed associates, according to a report by Desh Rupantor.
Professor Dr Shahriar Hossain of the university’s Department of Theatre said he received repeated phone calls from a person claiming to represent the Sarbahara Party. He has filed a general diary (GD) with Motihar Police Station seeking security, the report said.
During a recorded five-minute-42-second conversation, the caller reportedly asked the professor to provide financial assistance for the bail of five alleged associates.
The caller claimed that Tk 4.5 million remained to be paid after 85 percent of the required amount had already been arranged.
When the professor said he was already burdened with loans and could not immediately provide the money, the caller warned him against challenging them.
At one point, the caller reportedly said, “We didn’t send our people to your home at night or point a revolver at your head and tell you to arrange so many lakhs of taka.”
The caller also told the professor that he could involve police, the administration, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and intelligence agencies if he wished, but warned him that he would have to face the consequences if they were able to act against him.
The professor told the caller that he needed time to consider the matter, saying he was a teacher and did not have large sums of money readily available.
A source said cybercrime investigators had traced the call to Madaripur.
However, several teachers who allegedly received similar threats have reportedly refrained from filing cases, fearing possible retaliation after the suspects secure bail.
The reported threats and extortion attempts have caused concern among teachers and students on the campus.