Crimes by outlaws decline in 10 southwestern dists
34 murders in January-July this year against 80 in same period last year
Incidents of crimes by outlawed parties marked a declined in 10 southwestern districts in last seven months compared to the corresponding period last year.
Other crimes like abduction, extortion, robbery and bomb explosion by outlaws also declined.
Talking to this correspondent, senior police officials claimed improvement in overall law and order in the crime-infested areas following vigilance by law enforcers including Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).
Death of criminals in 'crossfire' with law enforcers is also another cause for decline in crimes and killings, they claimed.
According to different sources including police records, at least 34 murders took place in the 10 districts from January to July this year, which was at least 80 during the corresponding period last year. Outlawed parties were responsible for most of the killings.
Four incidents of bomb blast took place in the region during January-July this year. One person was killed in one of the incidents in Jhenidah in May.
"A number of hardened criminals including some top leaders responsible for most of the crimes have been killed so far," said a high police official asking not to be named.
He said crime syndicates run by outlawed parties have broken down after the death of their leaders.
Police claimed that most of the outlawed parties now suffer from crisis of leadership and manpower. They do not have strength to carry out crimes as before, they claimed.
At least 13 outlawed parties were active in the region.
These are four factions of PBCP-ML-----Janajuddho, PBCP-red flag, PBCP-communist war, Bipllobi Communist Party (BCP) and New Biplobi Communist Party (NBCP)--, Gono Bahini (GB), Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF), Banglar Communist Party, Socialist Party (SP), Biplobi Anuragi, Chinnamu Communist Party (CCP) and Sharbahara People's March.
Most of the outfits have lost their top leaders, hardened cadres. They were killed in 'crossfire' in last three years since June 2004.
According to police records, at least 416 alleged criminals were killed in 'crossfire' with police and Rab in 10 districts in southwestern region.
Around 50 of them were top leaders and cadres. They include PBCP-ML founder Mofakkhar Hossain, its 'operations commander' Mofiz Uddin, PBCP-Janajuddha founder Abdur Rashid Malitha alias Dada Tapan, its
second-in-command and Tapan's brother Golam Hossain Akash, its operation commander Abir Hasan and Soeb Ahmed, chief of New Biplobi Communist Party (NBCP) Akdil Hossain and Janajuddho second-in-command Abdur Rashid Tikka.
Law enforcing agencies said at least 40 top outlaws are still evading arrest and many of them left the country.
"They are being sheltered by criminals in a neighbouring country in exchanging large amounts of money”, one of the police officials said over cell phone yesterday seeking anonymity.
According to a fresh list prepared by law enforcing agencies, there are 2,754 outlaws in the ten districts. Of them, 845 are in Khulna, 284 in Jessore, 172 in Kushtia, 434 in Jhenidah, 210 in Chuadanga, 58 in Meherpur, 92 in Magura, 71 in Narail, 225 in Satkhira and, 363 are in Bagerhat.
A good of leaders and activists of different political parties, NGO officials and journalists are also maintaining links with outlawed parties, sources said.
"It is not impossible to root out outlaws overnight in a region where they are active for about 40 years," Asaduzzaman Mia, DIG of Khulna Range said over cell phone. But their activities have declined greatly, he said.
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