Outlaws regrouping ahead of next polls

The parties are closing ranks with two motives--- to avenge 'crossfire' murder of their leaders and to realise benefits from prospective candidates and their parties.

Satkhira and adjoining districts were once safe haven for activists of Purba Banglar Communist party(PBCP), Biplobi Communist Party(BCP), New Biplobi Communist Party (BCP), Purba Banglar Communist Party (Janajuddha faction), Shramjibi Mukti Andolon, and Sarbahara Party.

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Several drives by law enforcers in the last three years put them in a disadventageous position. Most of them fled their dens in Tala, Assassuni and Satkhira Sadar upazilas.

Sources close to outlaws and in police said mid-level leaders of the parties held a meeting at a house in Kheshra union in Tala upazila recently and formed a coordination committee to forge unity.

Outlaws used to play vital roles in parliamentary and Union Parishad elections.

It was hard to file nomination paper or to win election in the areas without 'managing' leaders of these outlawed parties.

It was a tradition to engage outlaws in elections. Demands of outlaws increases ahead of elections, according to records in the last two decades.

Police sources said they are now regrouping to return to their places with the help of local influential political leaders of different parties.

They are having contacts with the leaders to know what to do in the next parliamentary election, the sources said.

Earlier, hiring of armed cadres from these groups to influence voting process was an an open secret.

Armed cadres of the outlawed parties were active in the last parliamentary and Union Parishad elections also.

According to local people in outlaw infested areas of Satkhira, the groups actually do not have any political ideology of their own. Most of them are engaged in terrorist activities now. They realise toll from affluent people through letters.

Talking to this correspondent, some local people also expressed their concern over the reported regrouping of outlaws.