The Karail slum is the on the left side of the road from Mohakhali to Gulshan in the capital. On the slum road, there are around a hundred illegal shops. The slum has more than 7,000 shanties.

According to a police report, around Tk 500,000 is extorted monthly from illegal shops, house rentals, service connections, and a boat jetty cantered on Karail slum. The report names members of Karail slum unit BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party)—Md Sajid Mia, Md. Hanif Mia, Swechchhasebok member Md Badal Mia, Mehedi Hasan Mishu, and Mohammad Ali—as those responsible for collecting the extortion money.

On the other hand, the report lists former acting general secretary of Dhaka City North BNP and former commissioner of Ward No. 19 of the city corporation, Abdul Alim (Noki), and former commissioner of Ward No. 20 and member of Dhaka City North BNP, Abul Kalam Azad, as their protectors.

Abdul Alim could not be reached over mobile phone for comment. Abul Kalam Azad told Prothom Alo that the allegations are not true and that his name has been included by his political rivals.

He added that major extortion is happening in Mohakhali area and that several members of the Swechchhasebok Dal are involved in that, damaging the party’s image.