Ward-20 Councillor of Dhaka South City Corporation, Farid Uddin Ahmed Ratan admitted that extortion took place in the Puratanbazar hawkers market in Gulistan in the capital, but he was not involved therewith.
Councillor Ratan said it in a written statement after DSCC Mayor Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh issued a show cause notice on him.
Earlier, the market’s traders alleged that Councillor Ratan collected huge money in the name of
Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh for legalizing those who established shops in the market illegally.
The Councillor claimed in his statement that a dishonest circle was behind collecting the extortion from the traders.
But he did not disclose the names of those extortionists.
In his statement, Ratan also requested the mayor not to take legal action against him because it will damage his reputation. Traders of the market and officials of the DSCC said that a section of influential persons constructed shops in the market beyond its approved design illegally.
Earlier, Mayor Fazle Noor Taposh announced to demolish all of those illegal shops.
On December 17, DSCC mobile court conducted a eviction drives against those illegal installations.
Then the traders demonstrated and chanted slogans against Councillor Ratan. The traders accused Ratan of collecting huge money saying the name of the mayor Taposh was used to legalize those shops.
That was published in different national dailies then the mayor took it seriously and issued the show cause notice.
Councillor Ratan said that dishonest persons including DSCC’s several culprit officials and market traders association leaders established about 327 shops illegally in the car parking areas of the market.
“When I was in my office as an acting Mayor of DSCC while the then Mayor Sayeed Khokon was staying abroad, I have taken efforts to demolish those shops. In the meantime, Mayor Sayeed Khokon returned to the country and my efforts stopped.”
But there are legal barriers on the part of an acting mayor to take such an action as per the city corporation laws.
The traders said that Ratan took those actions as an acting mayor only to collect extortion by threatening them for demolishing those shops.
Replying to a query about the show cause notice, ABM Aminullah Nuree said, “We have gotten a reply from the councillor. The mayor is now staying abroad. After his return the statement will be given to him.”
The actions will be taken as per laws, he added.
