Lathials arbitrate crimes in 'courts', police say law and order 'good'

Killing, robbery and torture on women are going on unabated, but residents hardly speak out against these fearing reprisal.

There is a police camp in the Char Zahiruddin but police men are almost inactive, some residents this correspondent during a recent visit. Rather, the police men maintain good relations with the Lathial Bahini and the chairmen. So, they have no alternative to surrendering to the chairmen's Lathial Bahini, they said.

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The residents were reluctant to talk to this correspondent. They finally opened their mouth on persuasion.

Mansur Mia, 52, said people of Char Zahiruddin are "ruled" by the UP chairmen, mostly backed by the ruling party because officials hardly visit the area, 30 miles off Tazummaddin upazila Sadar of Bhola district. Poor people from different areas of Bhola started coming here when human habitation started in this shoal in 1965, he said.

During Awami League rule the Char was "ruled" by AL -supported UP chairman Salim Khan and his Lathial Bahini.

Miscreants committed crimes under his direct backing, he said.

After changing of government, leadership of the Lathial Bahini was transferred to BNP-supported chairman Hafij Hasan Masud Bablu, divided the entire Char into 16 "blocks" and "appointed 31 leaders of his Bahini.

Besides, there are two clubs whose members act like "courts", arbitrate crimes and offences and even give punishment

Fisherman Nazir Mia said, "We can not go to court or police to seek redress.

"Thirty-one block leaders and their Lathia Bahini gave us punishment for our offenders. Often, the punishment is fine, which is taken away by the Bahini".

Housewife Rabeya Khatun said, "We cultivate the land but when the crop is forcibly taken away by the Lathial Bahini. Police do not help us to save our crops. They are associated of the chairman's Lathial Bahini".

Out of the 31 "block leaders", six are Union Parishad members. One of them, Nurul Alom, member of Ward No 6, when contacted refuse all the allegations.

"The thana Sadar and the district town are far away. So we try to help the people in their problems. We do not take money from any body, he said.

Tazummaddin thana police said, law and order in Char Zahiruddin is "so good".

"We do not get any complaint from any body", one policeman said.

Tazumaddin upazila administration said they have no knowledge about Lathia Bahini in the area.

Hasan Masud Bablu, UP chairman of Char Zahiruddin, also denied the allegations. "These are false and fabricated".

He further said, "You can write anything against me. I do not bother about newspaper reports or journalists.