Police camp closed in Bhola

Local people and police sources in Bhola said the camp was withdrawn following pressure from some local ruling party men.

It was withdrawn on orders from higher authorities, police sources in Bhola said when contacted over telephone yesterday.

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The camp was set up in November last year by the then Bhola Police Superintendent Mallick Eakhrul Islam after two murders in the area over paddy harvest.

Killings during harvest due to onslaught by hired armed men and toll collection by mastaans was a regular phenomenon in the area.

The law and order had improved significantly and there was no serious crime since setting up of the camp, the police sources and local people said.

Bhola police Superintendent Motiur Rahman when contacted over phone however said, "It is a temporary withdrawal considering safety of policemen and their arms". It will be re-established after the ongoing construction of the police investigation centre is complete, he said.

The camp was manned by one Sub-inspector, one Assistant Sub-inspector and 18 constables.

It was set up at the under-construction building that houses the police investigation centre.

Akabbar Howlader a local man in Ilisha said, "This (withdrawal for policemen's security) is not correct".

"When the camp was establish, policemen first stayed in an old school building which had no door and window. "After 6-7 months, they were shifted to the building (housing the police investigation centre). The building is save and secure".

The police sources admitted that a vested quarter in the area did not want the police camp there.

One source said, "All of them are leaders and workers of the ruling party. They had tried to stop setting up of the camp but did not succeed. After 2-3 months, they requested the then SP Mallick Fakrul Islam for withdrawal of the camp. But Mallick did not agree.

"After the new SP (Motiur Rahman) took over, they tried again but failed.

"On June 6, Range DIG of Barisal Golam Mostofa came to Bhola.

The vested quarter complained to him that the policemen of Ilisha camp were corrupt and took bribe from local people and request him to close it immediately.

"The DIG ordered the SP to close the camp", the police source claimed.

Local people alleged that after setting up of the camp, the influential group could not do their illegal activities in the area. Their toll collection and land grabbing had stopped for one year.

Their mastaans will now return to the area and toll collection, harvest of paddy by force and other crimes will resume, they said.