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Outlaws, gangsters back to crime spree in SW dists

99 killings in less than 5 months; rape, robbery, extortion on rise

17 June 2009, 18:00 PM

NATIONAL

Amanur Aman, Kushtia

Law and order is deteriorating fast in the 10 southwestern districts as outlawed parties and criminal gangs have resumed their activities in the last six months. At least 99 people were killed in the region from January 1 to June 16 this year, while other crimes including rape, robbery, extortion and violence marked a steady rise in Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Magura, Jessore, Narail, Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat districts. Of the murders, 14 took place in January, 13 in February, 19 in March, 21 in April, 18 in May and 14 in first 16 days of June. Outlawed party cadres and gangs committed most of the murders and other crimes, police said. In the latest incident on Wednesday, two suspected cadres of an outlawed party were brutally murdered by rival party men inside a female dormitory of Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia. The deceased were cadres of outlawed Gono Mukti Fouj. Police suspect they were murdered by activists of rival Jasod Gono Bahini. A week ago on June 10, six people including three women were murdered in Kushtia, Chuadanga, Meherpur and Jessore. Of them, a housewife was slaughtered by her husband in Kushtia, outlaws murdered three rivals in Chuadanga and Meherpur and two women were killed after rape in Jessore. In previous five months from August to December last year the number of murders was 21. According to law enforcement agencies and newspaper reports, at least 56 bomb attacks, 42 robberies, 33 rapes and around 150 incidents of extortion took place during the period while 20 bomb attacks, 22 robberies, 6 rapes were recorded in the aforesaid five months of 2008. Those killed in the last five months included 15 businessmen most for refusing to pay toll to the extortionists. The others are 12 political party men---four from ruling Awami Lague (AL) and eight from BNP. At least 22 outlaws were killed by their rivals during the period while the rest were ordinary people like students and farmers. Locals and police said, several outlawed parties and gangs have resumed their criminal activities in the region after regrouping under about 50 kingpins who returned to their old dens and areas remaining at large for a long time. A group of ruling party leaders allegedly are harbouring the outlawed party leaders and cadres who move with them as 'party men'. "A number of top criminals who were on the run have returned to their areas. They are trying to regain their lost 'empire' taking advantage of the recent political changeover," said a high police official seeking anonymity. He alleged these criminals evade arrest as a section of political leaders and local influentials shelter them. "It is again the same old tale that the ruling party men use these criminals for establishing supremacy in their respective areas," he said. A number of anti-crime crackdowns were launched in last few years but downslide of law and order could not be arrested. Even deaths in 'crossfire' with law enforcers failed to improve the situation, he lamented. Police said at least 522 listed criminals including some 'founders' of outlawed outfits and top gangsters were killed in 'crossfire' incidents since August 2004 to date. Sources said, at least a dozen outlawed parties are active in the region and an unspecified number of illegal firearms are under their possession. These outfits have around 5, 000 cadres who belong to the following factions of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML): Janajuddho, PBCP-red flag, PBCP-communist war, Biplobi Communist Party (BCP), New Biplobi Communist Party (NBCP), Gono Bahini (GB), Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF), Banglar Communist Party, Socialist Party (SP), Biplobi Anuragi, Chinnamul Communist Party (CCP) and Sharbahara People's Manch.