Discomfort over law and order continues

In the context of increasing crimes including kidnapping, robbery, extortion, vandalism and looting by creating mobs, a special operation called ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ was launched across the country on the night of February 8. Yesterday, Saturday, this special operation completed one month. During this time, discussions are underway on how much the law and order situation in the country has improved and how much the objectives of the operation have been met.

Social thinkers and security analysts say that despite the special operation, there is no significant improvement in the law and order situation. Still, the unease about the law and order situation has not subsided, but rather, fear has increased. At this time, extremists have risen to the fore in the Kushtia-Jhenaidah region. Robberies, robberies, open arms exercises, and attacks and looting of people’s homes by creating mobs in the name of ‘Tawhidi Jantar’ are taking place. There have also been attacks on the police in some places. Incidents of harassment and rape of women have also increased.

On the night of February 7, local leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination student movement were attacked at the house of AKM Mozammel Haque, a minister in the ousted Awami League government. The day after that incident, a special operation called ‘Operation Devil Hunt’ began across the country from February 8. This special operation is still ongoing. However, police officials said that the operation called ‘Devil Hunt’ is no longer being carried out.

Statistics from the police headquarters say that 11,882 people were arrested across the country in the Operation ‘Devil Hunt’ special operation from February 8 to March 1. At the same time, a total of 30,723 people were arrested across the country. Among those arrested are the accused in the July-August case.

Sociologist and professor at the Institute of Social Welfare and Research of Dhaka University Dr. Md. Touhidul Haque told our time, as influential as the name ‘Devil Hunt Operation’ is; the operation is not able to have that much impact. Because if the same type of crime is committed even after more than 11,000 arrests, then which criminals are being arrested? He said, the operation should have been comprehensive. If professional criminals had been arrested at the same time, the situation would have improved further.

However, several police officials told our time that the law and order situation in Dhaka has improved for the past few days due to the coordinated patrols and checkpost activities of various forces, including the police. For now, more importance is being given to Dhaka in controlling law and order. Police activities outside Dhaka have also been made more dynamic than before.

According to information provided by the Human Rights Culture Foundation, 42 rape cases occurred in the country in January, the month before the start of ‘Operation Devil Hunt’. This increased to 57 in February. There were 15 gang rape cases in January. In February, it increased to 17. Out of these, two women were raped and then killed. The number of attempted gang rapes has also increased. Most recently, on Saturday afternoon, a college student was gang-raped while walking in the seashore area of ​​Sitakunda, Chittagong. The victim was rescued around 3 pm when locals informed the police.

The incidents of mob lynching have not decreased during the special operations. A week ago, three people were beaten to death on suspicion of robbery in Shariatpur. Several more were injured. Last week, two more were beaten to death on suspicion of robbery in Satkania, Chittagong. On Wednesday night, a mob caught one person and beat him up while he was practicing with weapons in Dhaka’s Moghbazar.

Statistics show that 12 people were killed and 18 injured in mob lynchings in January. And in February, eight people were killed in mob lynchings. At least 20 people were injured. On February 25, two people were arrested and beaten up by locals on charges of robbery in Uttara in the capital. Later, they were tied with ropes and hung from the railing of a footover bridge. Later, the police came and rescued them.

Last February, at least three robberies and shootings took place on the banks of the Gorai River in Kushtia late at night with firearms. On the night of February 18, a group of armed men attacked Balur Ghat and looted Tk 2 lakh from the cash counter. A local was also injured in the shooting while trying to stop the incident.

At least 10 cars were robbed by falling trees in the Talot area of ​​the Bera-Santhia regional highway in Pabna’s Santhia upazila at around 1 am on February 28. At least five people were injured in the beatings by the robbers, according to eyewitnesses. On February 21, at around 11 pm, the leader of an extremist party, Kalu, shot dead three people in the Shashanghat area of ​​Ramchandrapur village in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah, showing his strength. He also admitted responsibility for the murder. Kalu has not been arrested till yesterday. As a result, the locals fear more deaths at the hands of this force in Kushtia-Jhenaidah districts.

Meanwhile, in the context of the deteriorating law and order situation, the Home Ministry, Police Headquarters and Dhaka Metropolitan Police authorities took action last week. The Home Ministry’s core committee took a series of decisions to control law and order. Immediately after this, the RAB-police along with the joint forces started visible activities. Senior police officials including Home Affairs Advisor (retired) Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury started inspecting different areas of Dhaka late at night. Night patrols have also been increased in different areas of Dhaka. Checkposts have been set up on different roads. In this situation, on Friday, local leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination student movement attacked and looted a business establishment in the capital’s Dhanmondi. Later, upon receiving information, the joint forces arrested 14 coordinators from there.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police officials claim that the situation in Dhaka has improved a lot due to their various measures. Robberies are decreasing.

However, our time has come to know from talking to people from several areas of Dhaka that the visible activity of RAB and police on the streets of Dhaka has increased at night. However, their presence in neighborhoods has not increased. As a result, they have to leave their homes in panic as before. Robberies are also happening.

Meanwhile, police members working in the field to maintain law and order are also being beaten up in different places. On the night of February 28, in Patenga, Chittagong, SI Yusuf Ali of the police signaled two young men riding a motorcycle to stop at a check post. After a while, 10-15 people came and started beating the officer, accusing him of being a ‘fake policeman’. Their mobile phones, wallets and walkie-talkies were snatched. There have been attacks on police in several other places across the country. There have been 225 such attacks on police in the last six months. There have also been incidents of kidnapping and assault. Most of the incidents have been committed by organized mobs of unruly people.

According to the police headquarters, out of the 225 incidents of attacks on police personnel while on duty in the last six months, 24 occurred in September last year, 34 in October, 49 in November, 43 in December, 38 in January and 37 in February.

AIG of the media wing of the police headquarters, Enamul Haque Sagar, told our time that the police are working with sincerity and professionalism to control the law and order situation. He has already noticed that criminals have been brought under the law in various operational activities. The level of various strategic activities to prevent crime has been increased.

He said, mob justice is not acceptable at all. There is no opportunity to take the law into one’s own hands. If someone commits a crime, they should inform the police instead of taking the law into their own hands. The police will definitely respond quickly in this case. Appropriate legal action will be taken against those who obstruct the police in carrying out their legal duties, and no leniency will be given to them.

Do Follow: greenbanglaonline24