STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) has prepared a list of around 650 individuals allegedly involved in extortion across the country, including 110 identified as top extortionists in Narayanganj alone.

Rab Director (media wing) MZM Enthekhab Chowdhury shared the information at Rab’s media centre in Karwan Bazar yesterday.

“The list of extortionists is yet to be finalised. The process is still ongoing to ensure it is credible and unbiased,” he said.

Earlier, he briefed journalists on Rab’s recent nationwide operations.

Detailing the drives, he said Rab arrested a key suspect, Md Sabuj, within 48 hours of a high-profile attack in Chattogram in which a young man’s wrist was severed. “The arrest was made on April 9 during a joint drive by Rab-7 and Rab-9 in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria,” he added.

In another drive in Sonargaon, Rab arrested Mahbubur Rahman, also known as “Kaila Roxy”, who had long been accused of establishing dominance in the area through criminal activities, including drug trafficking.

Rab also arrested two members of a human trafficking ring -- Neyamat Ullah and Shah Alam -- from Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar and rescued four abducted victims.

Between April 8 and April 10, Rab conducted 51 mobile court drives nationwide. During these drives, authorities fined offenders Tk 14.25 lakh for illegally stockpiling 4,68,439 litres of edible oil and seized more than 50,000 litres, said the official.