2,279 people killed in last 8 months

Home minister tells JS
Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun told the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday that some 2,279 people were killed across the country over the last eight months. Dhaka metropolitan area alone had 201 murders during the said period.
Responding to star-marked question of Zafrul Islam Chowdhury during the question-answer session, she said 873 cases were filed and 864 people were arrested in connection with the 2,279 murders.
Replying to another question of Lutfur Rahman, the home minister said since the Awami League-led grand alliance government came to power in January this year, 45 civilians were killed by the Indian Border Security Force.
But the government did not give any compensation to the families of the victims, she said, adding that the government) might the consider the matter in future.
Replying to another question of a BNP lawmaker, Sahara Khatun denied deterioration of the law and order situation across the country as the government is determined to keep normal the law and order situation and directives had already been given to the law enforcers to bring any untoward situation under control.
Meantime, she claimed that along with the regular drive of the police force, a two-month long special campaign is in progress in the north-western region. The police force have now also carrying out a month-long special drive to improve the law and order situation further throughout the country.
Besides, responding to a question of Md Jashim Uddin, the home minister informed the House that the ECNEC has given approval for establishment of the “National Crime Prevention and Monitoring Centre” to contain the overall crime situation.
In response to a question of Safiqul Islam, Sahara Khatun admitted that there is shortage of manpower in the police force and the government decided to recruit 32,031 policemen gradually by 2011.
To a supplementary of Shahiduzzaman Sarker, the home minister told the House that a case was filed against police officers who allegedly tried to hide the identity of the main accused in the August 21 grenade attack on a rally of Sheikh Hasina in 2004. Among them were police-super Munshi Atiqur Rahman and Ruhul Amin. The court took the case into cognisance.
She hoped that after thorough investigation into the case, which was going on, the main accused and the motive behind the carnage would surely come into light.
Replying to a supplementary of Abdur Rahman, the home minister said, “The present democratic government has been operating the police force neutrally and it has now been working to make the police force more neutral and professional wiping off the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government’s bid to politicise the police administration.”
The home minister added that all the authorities concerned had been given directives to maintain law and order during the holy month of Ramzan, the ensuing Eid-ul-Fitr festival and the Durga Puja festival.
Sahara told another lawmaker Md Tajul Islam that the present government, after its assumption of office, arrested 113 militants including two foreign militants. She added that the figure included 51 militants belonging to the militant outfits like JMB, 37 of Hizbut Tahrir, 23 of Hizbullah and two of foreign militants of Lashkar-e-Taiyeba.
The home minister said that the arrested Indian militant Mufti Sheikh Obaidullah alias Abu Zafar (45) entered Bangladesh through Munshipur Hathkhola bordering area under Damurhuda police station in Kushtia district on June 26 in 1995 while another Indian militant Moulana Md Mansur Ali alias Habibullah (49) intruded through Jessore border in 1996.
Sahara also informed the house that the government would start expeditiously the programme to introduce industrial police force to maintain law and order in the garment and other industrial areas. This is being done in pursuance of the Prime Minister’s assurance in the House.  
She also informed the house that the home ministry has been preparing an anti-terrorism strategic paper and has taken effective measures in this regard under the anti-terrorism ordinance 2008.
Replying to another lawmaker from Jatiya Party, the home minister said the government has decided to withdraw 449 politically motivated cases completely and 16 cases partially. Of them only one case of BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed has been withdrawn.

Courtesy of The Independent