'Try Ershad Shikder's beneficiaries'

They have demanded display of ten videotapes recovered from Swarnokmol, Ershad Shikder houses, after his arrest.

"How can Ershad Shikder's political godfathers and financial beneficiaries be spared from legal action?" said

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said city BNP Secretary Nazrul Islam Manju while talking to this correspondent.

"They helped rise of this notorious criminal and condoned his killings", he said.

He demanded fresh investigation against 19 police officials including 10 former commissioners of KMP, a former cabinet minister, 10 political leaders including an MP, a former army officer, some journalists and 16 railway officials and employees as listed by a high level committee formed by the former Awami League government and a high powered intelligence team.

Another prominent leader of Khulna City BNP seeking anonymity said the videotapes will show who drank wine with him and danced with whores at different hideouts at Skidghat.

Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) President Alhaj Munir Ahmed said they must also be given exemplary punishment for encouraging Ershad Shikder to commit heinous crimes including murder and helping him accumulate wealth and property by forged and illegal means.

He said an Additional IG (Inspector General of Police), a police superintendent and an Inspector of police are still in service. Besides, one police officer is now OSD while 15 others have gone on retirement. These police officials suppressed Ershad Shikder's crimes after receiving huge amounts of bribe at different times.

Some of them dined, drank and danced with Ershad Shikder as mentioned in the exhaustive report of the probe body formed by order of former home minister Mohammod Nasim during Awami League rule.

The big cats will be out of bags if the ten videotapes are screened. Leaders of political parties, godfathers and some police officers will be seen enjoying wine and women with Ershad Shikder, said two businessmen at Khulna Bazar seeking anonymity.

Several reports were submitted to the government by probe bodies after thorough investigation against Ershad Shikder's beneficiaries in civil and police administrations, railway department, political parties, and the media. Businessmen of Khulna Bazar, railway station, Skidghat and Clay Road demanded immediate arrest of these beneficiaries as per the list submitted to the Home Ministry.

This correspondent also talked to Ershad Shikder's three sons Jamal, Kamal and Helal and daughter Saad Yasmin. They also demanded punishment of the people involved with their father in his crimes.