Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested two extortionists from Khanjahan Ali area in Khulna city on Friday night.
Acting on a tip-off, the elite force conducted a drive at Alok Palli School area at night and arrested the duo.
The arrsted men are Sadman Khan Supto and Mehbub.
The information was given through a press release on Saturday.
The release said the arrested persons demanded Taka five lakh as extortion to local journalist Abu Hamja Badhan and threatened him as he published a news item saying a syndicate led by Fultala upazila unit Awami League's ex-secretary Aslam Khan embezzled rice allocated by the government for 11 orphanage centers.
Later, a gang led by Supta and Mehbub intercepted the journalist in front of the Eastern gate electricity office on the Jashore-Khulna highway while he was returning home from his workplace and threatened to kill him if he failed to provide the demanded money.
Badhan filed an extortion case against the arrested and several unnamed persons the next day, the release added.
They were later handed over to the local police station.
MB
