Cybercriminals desperate

Cybercriminals have been carrying out propaganda campaigns against the country, businessmen, politicians, government officials and other eminent persons to make financial gains.

Staying abroad, they are active in committing cybercrimes through misusing technologies to blackmail the noted individuals.

Being targeted by cybercriminals, a number of politicians, businessmen, bureaucrats and officials of different agencies have to give money to cybercriminals silently to save themselves, different agencies have found in investigations.

The cybercriminals are often involved in internal feuds and run hate speeches encountering each other that unveil new clues for investigators.

Some 60 cybercriminals have been listed by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police and other government agencies -- of which 27 are top criminals.

Police headquarters have already reported top three cybercriminals to International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). Many victims aren’t happy with the ongoing investigation as there is no control over the crimes.

Regarding the cybercrimes, Police headquarters Assistant Inspector General Manjur Rahman said the cyber units of police have been working to fight the anti-state propaganda.

“None are out of surveillance. Cases have been filed with different police stations against cybercriminals. They are under legal process. We are also taking action against those staying abroad,” he said.

As per investigation, cyber terrorists first target a wealthy or influential person. Deploying syndicate members, the gang finds out about any problem of the individuals or member of family. Then cybercriminals run an advertisement on the person, announcing that an ‘investigative report’ is generating to create hype on the social media. After that, the gang tried to negotiate with the victim for financial gains. If the individual doesn’t agree to cybercriminals’ proposal, they (cybercriminals) run fake reports on social media platforms gradually.

                For example, so-called journalists -- Tito Rahman and Nazmus Saquib are maintaining a ‘Nagorik TV channel’ on YouTube. Based on the United States and Canada, the two social media geek have no real occupation. Tito and Saquib are blackmailing targeted people by using their social media platforms. From NagorikTV, they run  indecent, false and ridiculous comments on different dignitaries like Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and members of her family, imminent businessmen, industrial groups of the country.

Apart from this, a few days ago, they created an open letter to Foreign Minister Abdul Momen on controversial issues. Apart from this, some video creators, better known as YouTubers who voluntarily fled from Bangladesh on Facebook participated in regular talk-shows with such spam platforms.

Dr Pinaki Bhattacharya is one of 27 top cybercriminals who has taken political asylum in France. He regularly creates video defaming image of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, members of Bangabandhu family. Bhattacharya has been very skillful in spreading religious incitement on his own channel on YouTube, regularly criticising various provisions of Hindu religion.

In the last one year, he has been committing crimes like treason by inciting expatriate Bangladeshis not to send remittances by presenting some bizarre arguments.

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman is not out the circle. Sometimes, Tarique makes live speeches at various political gatherings and makes a mockery of the country's highest court. Some analysts mentioned that whether none in BNP to advise him that this behaviour is a terrible violation of the law.

Regarding the regulatory action, Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar has said that the government could not take action against YouTube and Facebook as the channels are operated from abroad.

“We keep our discussions with social media platform regularly every week. On average they (Facebook and YouTube) remove around 35 to 45 contents against per 100 requests from the government. Some contents remain on the platform in name of community standards,” Mustafa Jabbar told the Daily Sun on Sunday.

Nagorik TV on April 28 posted a status against Kazi Zahedul Hasan, owner of Kazi Farms, one of the most established groups in the country. The status mentions that 'Kazi Zahedul’s dishonest business plan has not stopped.

Kazi Jahedul is responsible for various misdemeanors such as regulation of egg and chicken trade, establishment of Kazi Farms zone on disputed land, selling broiler chicken at excessive prices and giving thumbs up to consumer rights. However, Nagorik TV did not run the report till now.

Earlier on April 7, Nagorik TV gave a status about NRB Bank chairman Mahtabur Rahman Nasir, incorporating photo of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) chairman Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam.

In the announcement, cybercriminals tried to defame the reputation of Mahtabur Rahman Nasir, saying that he has ‘smuggled thousands of taka to Dubai by opening a company named Al Haramain under the cover of perfume business.

Nagorik TV has launched an in-depth investigation into Mahtab's business dishonesty. “This month we will broadcast the special report of Citizen TV on the misdeeds of Mahtab. Keep an eye on Nagarik TV's YouTube channel and Facebook page.”

In the announcement, the criminals have also blamed BSEC chairman Shibli Rubayat-Ul-Islam for laundering money to Dubai by building a brokerage house. However, the report has not come into light till now.

On February 5, Nagorik TV gave a status titled "Nazrul's daughter Anika's wealth in London!" In the status it is said, "Two houses have been found in London in the name of Anika Islam, daughter of Exim Bank owner Nazrul Islam Majumder, one of the architects of the destruction of the banking sector in Bangladesh, the value of which is more than Tk 2.5 billion ! British citizen Anika is only 32 years’ old! We do not know if any British citizen by birth has acquired such a large amount of wealth at such a young age.

Earlier on last January 24, Nagorik TV posted an announcement that there is no system to legally send money from Bangladesh to London. However, Exim Bank Chairman Nazrul Islam Majumder has purchased properties worth about Tk 910 million in several expensive communities in London.

A senior officer of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has been working on cybercrimes for a long time. He told this reporter on the condition of anonymity that cyber terrorists take contracts from the enemy party to get a person to spread rumours in the cyber world.

Based on the information provided by them, they create reports and upload them on their page. Later, it went viral by spending dollars on it. In many cases, victims are forced to make a deal with the cyber-terrorists to protect their self-respect after reporting an episode.

The officials informed that NCB of Police Headquarters has contacted the Interpol about some top cybercriminals who are staying in different countries.

The police officer said the responsible persons at home and foreign ministries should also look into the matter seriously. Only it is possible to bring the cybercriminals back to the country and face the law.