A factory manager in Tangail has died following days of intense psychological pressure and alleged extortion attempts, triggering widespread concern across the local industrial community. Shahjahan Bhuiyan, who managed the Food Officers Jamuna Jute Industries facility in Bhuapur upazila, collapsed and died inside his workplace on August 24. Colleagues and workers stated that the tragedy followed relentless intimidation over a demand for five hundred thousand taka.
Formal legal action has since been taken at the Bhuapur police station. Factory supervisor Md Aktar Hossain filed an extortion case naming three individuals: Wares, Shamim, and Likhon. The accused are locally identified as party workers associated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The confrontation began on August 22 when the suspects entered the factory premises and gained access to the manager’s office. According to internal accounts, they demanded five hundred thousand taka from Mr Bhuiyan. When the manager refused to comply, the situation escalated into aggressive threats and intimidation. Investigators confirmed that closed-circuit television cameras captured the suspects inside the manager’s cabin during the incident, corroborating reports of hostile behaviour.
Staff members revealed that the harassment was not an isolated event. Workers noted that the suspects had visited the factory multiple times over preceding days. Rashid, a labourer at the mill, mentioned that the visitors created a tense atmosphere, going so far as to throw furniture inside the office. Another worker, Liakat Ali, recounted that individuals entered the office for extended periods, threatening physical harm to the manager’s family if the financial demands went unmet.
Financial personnel at the facility outlined the persistent nature of the threats. Yasin Arafat, the company accountant, explained that the extortionists used shifting pretexts, sometimes citing party activities and other times claiming funds were required for local road repairs. The suspects reportedly threatened to block the access roads leading to the factory if payment was withheld. Facing mounting pressure, the management initially considered negotiating a partial settlement to resolve the deadlock.
Tension reached a critical juncture on the afternoon of August 24. Yasin Arafat stated that Wares called to announce their impending arrival to collect money. Shortly after that phone call, Mr Bhuiyan experienced sudden and severe physical distress, collapsing at his desk before he could receive medical assistance. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Floor in-charge Ashraf described the late manager as a gentle and dedicated professional who had also faced direct financial demands from Wares. The incident has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the factory, which employs around four hundred workers. Employees voiced anxiety over the future of the industrial unit, noting that the modest operational revenues of the mill make satisfying large extortion demands entirely impossible.
The defense presented by the accused party offered a different perspective. Aslam, the father of the accused Wares, claimed that discussions with the manager were strictly related to community welfare. He argued that loose sand on the road in front of the factory was causing commuting difficulties for local residents, prompting requests for voluntary contributions toward road repairs, though he denied any knowledge of a five hundred thousand taka extortion demand.
Attempts to reach the bereaved family for comment were unsuccessful, with local sources alleging that family members had been advised against speaking publicly. Meanwhile, Bhuapur upazila BNP general secretary Md Selimuzzaman Talukdar Selu addressed the situation by stating that the political organisation would not shield individuals from accountability and that administrative action should follow factual findings.
Law enforcement authorities have moved swiftly to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death. Bhuapur police station officer-in-charge Md Rezaul Karim confirmed that the case was registered following site inspections, employee interviews, and the review of security footage that verified initial allegations of extortion. Police teams are actively pursuing operations to apprehend the named suspects as judicial inquiries continue.
