Kalapara education officer, 3 others sued for extortion

Court decision

Patuakhali: The court has ordered the OC, Kalapara police station to investigate the complaint of demand of Tk 5 lakh extortion for the election of the president of the board of management of Betmore Secondary School in Kalapara, Patuakhali. The order was passed by the learned Kalapara Senior Judicial Magistrate Ashish Roy's court on Sunday (September 3). Judicial Magistrate Court Bench Assistant Md. Mahbub Mia confirmed the authenticity of this order.

Earlier, Suman Talukder, president of Betmore Secondary School's ad hoc committee, filed the case in court. Upazila secondary education officer Golam Mostafa, head teacher Mahabub Ullah (Liton) and assistant teacher Md Mojibur Rahman have been accused in the case.

According to the details of the case, on June 17, 2023, the headmaster, in connivance with the defendants, demanded 5 lakh taka extortion from his mobile phone to elect the plaintiff as the president of the school's management board. On June 18, 50,000 Tk was deposited in the head teacher's personal bank account No. 4311100111069, Sonali Bank, Kalapara bandar branch. After that, he was paid Rs 1 lakh 70 thousand of the claimed contribution through check.

But as the defendants did not receive the entire amount of the demanded extortion, they elected another person as president on 31 August 2023 and sent it to the Barisal Education Board for approval.

Meanwhile, on the same day, the court of Senior Assistant Judge Md. Anwar Hossain ordered the defendants to show cause within the next 5 days for the alleged irregularities in the election of the Board of Directors of Betmore Secondary School. Barisal education board chairman, board inspector, upazila secondary education officer, headmaster of the concerned school have been made defendants in the case. Assistant Judge Court Bench Assistant Md. Mizanur Rahman confirmed the authenticity of this order. - Gofran Biswas Palash