Keblarchar in Aminbazar, where six students were beaten to death by a mob yesterday, is a major drug den controlled by criminals allegedly under the shelter of law enforcers.
Locals say the area is also infamous for illegal sand trading run by criminal gangs in collaboration with some members of law enforcers and unscrupulous people in the area.
In March 2007, two Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) personnel were killed by members of a gang named Gangchil Bahini in Aminbazar, just outside the capital. The incident happened when a Rab team raided a drug hideout.
Following the incident, 13 members of the group were killed in “shootouts” with Rab in the last four years.
According to locals, Keblarchar has been a spot for illegal drug trading for 20 years. With the flourish of illegal sand trading worth crores of taka in recent years, the area has become a lucrative business hub.
“Controllers of the illicit business change with the change of governments, but the illegal trades continue as the law enforcers are involved in it,” said Md Selim, a local.
“Law enforcers and criminals always keep the area under their surveillance as the business is a major source of income for them,” said another local in return for anonymity.
On yesterday’s incident, villagers said police were trying to divert people’s attention from the illegal drug and sand trading in the area by terming robbers the six students killed in a mob beating.
Contacted, Dhaka district Superintendent of Police Mizanur Rahman said, “Sand trading in the area is run openly by a large number of people.”
He, however, denied any open trade of illegal drugs and sheltering the illicit trade for money.
-With The Daily Star input
