UNOs keep indoors, cops get scared

Two police stations also tightened security with officials advised to take extra care during movement.

The outlawed militant outfit sent a letter to the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Harinakundu Police Station on December 8 threatening to blow up the police station within next seven days if police continue to harass its cadres. The OC filed a general dairy (GD) after getting the letter.

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In the hand-written letter sent to the Kaliganj UNO on November 29, JMB operatives asked him to stop all 'anti-Islamic' activities. Otherwise they threatened to blow up the UNO office, local police station and cinema halls. The letter also asked to introduce Islamic education in schools and colleges. UNO Moazzem Hossain filed a case with local police station.

During a visit to the Harinakundu Police Station, this correspondent found all police officers working in a gloomy atmosphere in their rooms while four policemen guarding the entrance.

'I am scared to sit in my office. I cannot move freely. But to perform my duties, I have to go outside,' said a panic-stricken police official at Harinakundu Police Station.

OC Shafiqul Islam, however, denied limiting movement and said, 'As we are police we must ensure security and safety of people. So, we are bound to take risks'.

At Kaliganj Police Station this correspondent experienced a similar situation.

'The bomb threat has made the policemen here too frightened to carry out normal functioning', said an official.

Superintendent of Police (SP) in Jhenidah Akram Hossain, however, said, 'We are never afraid of any threat. But we asked police of 6 thanas and 34 outposts to be more cautious.'

Most of other UNOs of six upazilas in the district also confined themselves to their offices and residences following JMB bomb threat to Kaliganj UNO, sources said.

A panicked UNO who agreed to talk to this correspondent only on condition of anonymity said, 'I have already restricted my movement as my family members are scared. The nature of my job requires us to travel a lot throughout the upazila. But I asked my staff also to curtail their movement.

He said, 'The bomb threat and recent killings have forced my family to keep within four walls. Not only that, I have also suggested my children not to go outside their schools.'

'I think the ruling and opposition parties should sit together to find a way for an end to the situation,' the UNO said.

A first class contractor in Kaliganj Sadaruddin Ahmed said 'I could not meet the UNO as he is avoiding visitors for the last few days.'

Kaliganj UNO Moazzem Hossain, however, denied curtailing his movement and said, 'I have no scope to confine myself to my office and residence. But I have tightened security measures and directed the officials concerned to keep the madrasa and mosques under surveillance.’