Feeling insecure like in 1971

Slain publisher Dipan's father Abul Quasem Fazlul Huq yesterday said he was feeling insecure like he had during the Liberation War in 1971.

"I have never felt insecure in my life except during the Liberation War and the six-point movement. But I've started feeling insecure since this [yesterday] morning," he told reporters at his Paribagh residence in the capital.

Quasem, a Dhaka University professor, refused to specify the reasons behind his sense of alarm.

However, family sources said he had received a threat over phone in the morning and the unknown caller demanded Tk 5 lakh.

Asked if he would file a general diary in connection with his sense of insecurity, Dipan's father replied no. He said things were very clear and police would look into the matter on their own.

"If I want security, at least four police will be posted. If I want more security, perhaps four more will be deployed. If I ask again, police department will not hesitate to deploy 20-25 more cops. But how long general people like us could ask police for security in this way? We have to go out for work every day," he said.

Contacted, Shiblee Noman, assistant commissioner of police (Ramna Zone), said, "We've heard of the threat. We're now investigating if the threat is linked to Dipan's murder."

Talking about his state of mind, the professor said he had written and expressed his opinion freely in independent Bangladesh despite many obstacles.

"Many wrote countering the arguments in my write-ups. But I have never thought there'd be an armed attack [on my family]," he said in a choked voice.

On Saturday afternoon, his only son Faisal Arefin Dipan, owner of Jagriti Prokashani, was brutally hacked to death inside his office at Aziz Super Market in the capital's Shahbagh. Around the same time, Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, owner of Shuddhoswar Prokashani, and Tareq Rahim and Ranadipam Basu were hacked by three youths in the capital's Lalmatia. 

Professor Quasem said the situation had become so worse that people were getting attacked and killed inside their bedrooms and offices.

He, however, did not place any complaint against the police force.

"I do not think police are negligent in discharging their duties. I feel police, though they will not admit, are helpless in many cases," he said, adding at least 30-35 police were killed in the last four years.

He said the government was working to curb terrorist activities but its statement and activities were marked by narrowness.

"BNP and Jamaat are being held responsible for everything but people are not buying it anymore," he said. "The criminals should be arrested."

He further said the youths who were killing people in this way were "mentally sick" and reiterated that good sense should prevail among people so that the killers could be resisted.

Prof Quasem told reporters that the investigators were yet to inform him anything about the development of the investigation.

Police said they were working on CCTV camera footage and the call list from Dipan's cell number, he said.