| Extortion by Bangladesh Chhatra League( BCL) men ISPs going to wrap up business on DU campus ISP companies, including Cyberlink, BCL, KS and Dnet, are going to shut down their business following staggering losses due to the extortion. The internet service providers doing business on the Dhaka University campus are going to wrap up their business in the face of growing extortion reportedly by Chhatra League activists.(UNB) The activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student of the ruling Awami League, were learned to have either been demanding extortion from the ISPs or free connections, forcing them to roll back their business. The service providers said they do not inform the university management or the police administration about the extortion for fear of reprisal. When contacted, DU Proctor Prof KM Saiful Islam Khan told UNB that they heard about such extortion, but they have no official complaint. "Even then we're in the process to deal with the problem and preparing a list of miscreants to expel them." He said the Proctor Office has already colleted data of such extortionists and would hand over those to the law enforcers soon. The sufferers said they have been facing the problem for the last six months since the AL-led grand alliance assumed power. "The growing extortion on the campus only undermines the government efforts to build Digital Bangladesh," said an internet service provider wishing anonymity. He said a large number of BCL activists insisted him to provide them with net connections in their dormitories. "If you don't provide us with net connection, we'll destroy your hubs and disconnect all lines in a week," he said quoting a BCL boy. Smile, an ISP company, has disconnected their some 1700 lines to different dormitories, including Jagannath, Zahurul Haq, Rokeya, Haji Muhammad Mohsin, Surja Sen, Kabi Jasimuddin, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sir AF Rahman and Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman halls following the disturbance. Meanwhile, some more ISP companies, including Cyberlink, BCL, KS and Dnet, are going to shut down their business following staggering losses due to the extortion. An ISP company official said they had to count a loss of about Tk 1, 80, 000 in six months for providing free lines. "We had to disconnect our all connections from Jagannath Hall and are going to disconnect the remaining ones to Surja Sen Hall by this month." When contacted, two such extortionists of Kabi Jasimuddin and Surya Sen halls said they would not allow any service provider to do business on the campus unless they give them the free service. Sabbir Ferdous, a student of Kabi Jasimuddin Hall, said thousands of general students of the university are suffering a lot for a handful of extortionists. "My net connection was disconnected three months ago although I had never been a defaulter." He said either the university authorities themselves should provide the students with the internet facility or take immediate actions against the culprits. http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/07/07/news0135.htm |
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