On April 24, 2007, as the expiry of the second detention deadline loomed, the government allegedly encouraged a private person named Masud Rana (the name of the hero in a famous spy novel series) to file an extortion case for Tk. 60,000 (approx. $850) against Dr. Alamgir and 114 others. The case was filed in a court in Chandpur, which is Dr. Alamgir's constituency.

The case was interesting in three ways.

First, 115 people were accused of combined extortion for a very small project. Why would such a large team of extortionists be needed for a project worth merely Tk 60,000 (approx. US$ 850)?

Second, the quantity of the extortion comes to about US $ 7 per person accused. Why would a group of people go to the length of "extortion" for such a ridiculously small amount?

Third, most importantly, it was said that Dr. Alamgir and others demanded that sum in connection with a road contract on January 5, 2007. Dr. Alamgir was not even part of the government or in any capacity to award road contracts at that time. The last time Dr. Alamgir was a part of the government was in 2001.

A member of the defense team who knew one of the prosecutors later asked him in private about the motive behind bringing such charges, and the reply he got was "pressure from above." The case fits a pattern of persecution and harassment.