Police in Meherpur have arrested a man accused of attempting to extort money from government officials by falsely claiming to be a relative of the country’s health minister and an influential journalist. The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Abdur Rouf, was detained on Sunday morning at the Meherpur Sadar Upazila Family Planning Office after staff members caught him allegedly demanding money.
According to police and officials at the family planning office, the arrest took place at around 11:00 a.m. at the office located near the town’s main bus stand. Rouf, the son of the late Sarafat Ali from Mallikpara in Meherpur town, had reportedly entered the office and directly demanded money from employees. Staff members, who had previously received threats and demands from him, detained the man and immediately informed the police.
Investigators say Rouf had been posing for some time as both a close relative of the health minister and a well-connected journalist in order to exert pressure on officials in various government departments. Authorities believe he used these claims to intimidate employees and solicit money under the threat of administrative or reputational consequences.
Officials at the upazila health and family planning office reported that since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, Rouf had repeatedly contacted the office’s chief assistant, Mosharraf Hossain, and statistician Akram Hossain through mobile phone calls and WhatsApp messages. During these communications he allegedly demanded 20,000 Bangladeshi taka, warning that failure to pay would result in unspecified consequences.
On Sunday morning, Rouf arrived at the office and reiterated his demand in person. Staff members, already aware of the previous threats, confronted him and prevented him from leaving while notifying their superiors. Police officers from Meherpur Sadar Police Station later arrived at the scene and took him into custody.
Akram Hossain, the statistician at the family planning office, stated that the suspect had been exerting psychological pressure by repeatedly invoking his supposed relationship with the health minister. He said the situation escalated when Rouf appeared at the office and demanded money directly, prompting employees to restrain him and report the incident.
Upazila Family Planning Officer Anjuman Ara confirmed the incident and said she contacted the police immediately after being informed by two staff members about the alleged extortion attempt. Officers quickly arrived and detained the suspect for further questioning.
Officer-in-Charge Humayun Kabir of Meherpur Sadar Police Station said a formal extortion case had been filed against Rouf. The complaint was submitted by Akram Hossain, and police have launched an investigation to determine whether the suspect was involved in similar incidents elsewhere.
Authorities also noted that this was not Rouf’s first alleged offence. Last year he was reportedly caught by local residents while attempting to extort money from a private clinic in the Bashbaria area of Gangni Upazila. He was later arrested in connection with that case and spent a period in jail.
Key Details of the Incident
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Suspect | Abdur Rouf (45) |
| Residence | Mallikpara, Meherpur town |
| Allegation | Extortion attempt using false identity |
| Claimed Identity | Relative of health minister and influential journalist |
| Amount Demanded | 20,000 Bangladeshi taka |
| Arrest Location | Meherpur Sadar Upazila Family Planning Office |
| Complainant | Akram Hossain, Statistician |
| Legal Action | Extortion case filed; police investigation ongoing |
Local authorities have reiterated their commitment to taking firm action against individuals who attempt to misuse political or media affiliations to intimidate public officials. Police say the investigation will determine whether Rouf operated alone or as part of a wider network targeting government institutions.