At least 321 people killed for not paying extortion money in the Chattogram Hill Tracts in the last five years, it was learnt.
Extortionists collect at least Tk 450 crore every year from public, private sector workers, businessmen and residents of Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachhari.
Any development project must pay 10 per cent commission to the extremist groups. Mohammad Habib Azam, a hill student leader, told the Daily Observer on Sunday that four extremist groups have taken 10 per cent commission from government development projects.
Aanado Chakma, a UPDF leader, who surrendered to the Army identified the four tribal groups which collected extortion money from both tribal and Bengali people.
"If anyone refuses to pay the extortion money they kill them," he said.
The three districts comprise one tenth of the country's land mass. The population of these districts is around 16 lakh. Over 50 per cent of them are Bengalis and the rest tribal people.
Four regional groups, United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), UPDF (Democrats), Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS-Santu) and Jana Sanghati Samity (Reformists) are active in the region, said sources in the intelligence agencies.
The transportation sector has to pay illegal tolls to the tune of thousands of taka every day to the armed extremists. Due to this the people of the hill areas have become hostages. The normal activities of the people are being severely hampered. People want to get rid of the situation.
Around ten thousand members of the three regional groups are active in Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
Sources said UPDF is active in Khagrachhari and in some parts of Rangamati and Bandarban while JSS-Santu is active in the whole of Rangamati and some parts of Bandarban and Khagrachhari and JSS (reformists) are active in all the three districts.
The extremist groups and their wings have collected huge quantities of sophisticated arms and ammunition smuggled from abroad with the money collected from public and private sector workers, businessmen and ordinary people illegally.
Intelligence sources said there are 2,000 armed members of the three local extremist groups involved in illegal toll collection. Of them, 750 belong to UPDF while 900 belong to JSS-Santu and 350 of JSS (Reformists).
"Tribal or Bengali, if you have business or job in the hills, you have to pay extortion to the three regional groups. Extortion is an open secret in CHT," a source said. The source added people have to pay tolls to the armed cadres if they get involved in any profit earning enterprise.
People fear they might become victims of violence, abduction, sexual harassment and killing if they refuse to pay the demand money. The groups have unofficially fixed different rates of toll collection depending on the nature of business and class of their profession.
A tea garden owner at Guimara in Khagrachhari pays Tk 1 crore annually to JSS-Santu, JSS (Reformist) and both the groups of UPDF.
According to the locals, JSS-Santu collects toll at 10 per cent rate on sale of each cow or goat while UPDF and JSS (reformists) charge Tk 150 to Tk 200 for each cow and Tk 100 for a goat.
A professional fisherman pays Tk 45,000 to Tk 50,000 annually to JSS-Santu, JSS (reformist) and UPDF. Other people also have to pay according to the list of subscription.
The separatist outfits collect tolls and donations from individuals on the eve of social and religious festivals. Apart from the Bengalis, hill people also have to pay extortion money on a regular basis.
Each rich family has to pay Tk 1,000 to JSS-Santu and UPDF separately while a middle-income family pays Tk 500 to JSS-Santu and Tk 400 to UPDF and JSS (Reformists), and a low-income family pays Tk 300 to JSS-Santu and Tk 200 to UPDF and JSS (Reformists).
For each bunch of banana, a farmer pays between Tk 6 and Tk 10 to the four militant groups.
District administration and local sources said UPDF, JSS-Santu and JSS (Reformists) control every development work in CHT. A contractor has to pay 10 per cent in advance against the total amount of the work order.
The fund is used for purchasing arms and ammunition, military training and paying salary and perks to members of the groups.
Sources claimed that the extortion money is the lifeline for the anti-Bangladesh campaign at home and abroad. Law enforcers have managed to nab a number of extortionists round the year. But the illegal toll collection continues unabated.
Many of the people, preferring anonymity, told this correspondent that it was impossible for them to live without paying extortion to the armed cadres of the extremist groups.
A high official of law enforcement agency, on condition of anonymity, told this correspondent, "People don't want to inform the law enforcers about extortion. They [people] fear that they might become victims of violence, abduction, sexual harassment and killing if they refuse to pay extortion to the groups or report it to the police."
