AJR Courier van torched amid extortion threats

A covered van of AJR Courier Service, which has been facing extortion demands for several days, was set on fire in the capital on Thursday night.

A large quantity of customers' goods and important documents kept inside the vehicle were destroyed. The company put the preliminary estimate of the damage at Tk 1 crore to Tk 1.5 crore.

Mohammadpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Halim said the incident occurred around 9:30pm. Police were trying to identify those involved in the attack.

According to eyewitnesses and AJR Courier Service employees, 10 to 12 motorcycle riders intercepted the covered van while it was heading towards Hazaribagh along Beribadh Road. They vandalised the vehicle before hurling petrol bombs at it and setting it ablaze.

AJR Group AGM Jayanta Chowdhury alleged that a notorious criminal gang had been demanding extortion money from the company for a long time.

"After failing to receive the money, the gang has repeatedly attacked and set fire to the company's offices and vehicles," he said.

He said the company's office in Narayanganj had previously been set on fire, while its vehicles were later torched in Shahbagh and Rayerbazar.

He further alleged that in Mirpur, petrol bombs were hurled at a company employee in an attempt to kill him by setting him on fire.

In the latest attack in Rayerbazar, goods and important documents belonging to customers, small businesses, banks and insurance companies were destroyed, Jayanta said.

He said the preliminary estimate of the damage stood at Tk 1 crore to Tk 1.5 crore. The financial loss could rise further after the valuation of the destroyed documents belonging to banks and insurance companies is completed.