Professional criminals now active in capital
Sahidul Islam Rana
Some high-profile accused of different graft cases and professional criminals have already started returning home at the very outset of the incumbent political government.
More than one hundred corruption suspects as well as accused of some other criminal cases – who went into hiding soon after the 1/11 political changeover across the country – are trying to regain their lost political and social image.
In many places they are being whole-heartedly received by their political supporters in their respective areas with bouquets creating concern among common people.
According to sources, most of the returnees – specially earlier involved in Awami League politics – are getting interim bail after their surrender to the High Court. Some of them were accused in graft cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission and many were also convicted in absentia.
Apart from this, some of accused are well-known to the locals as the patronisers of the some notorious and professional criminals. About 99 percent of the accused include: former Ministers, Members of Parliament, heavyweight politicians, business tycoons and CBA leaders of the last three regimes.
It may be mentioned that interim bail remained suspended soon after the promulgation of the State of Emergency. About one hundred accused belonging to the two arch-rival political parties -AL and BNP – reportedly left the country and took shelter in neighboring countries, mainly in India, in order to evade any sort of harassment or arrest.
A former lawmaker, who recently returned to the capital and met his political chief, said, “There was no alternative way but to go into hiding during the emergency. I am happy now as I didn’t think of returning to Bangladesh within this short span of time.”
“The new government assumed office and I returned home as ‘son of this soil came back home’. Besides, all the allegations brought against me are fake and fabricated to ruin my political career. My people cordially received me,” he added while talking to this correspondent.
After the December 29 general election, the leaders of the AL and other associate bodies started returning home after consultation with the party’s high-ups, said sources in the party.
On the other hand, accused BNP leaders also might have come back considering the incumbent political government as safer than the erstwhile Caretaker Government, according to another source.
Meanwhile, the government is very much concerned at the present scenario in the capital as professional criminals are now active in the capital, said sources in intelligence agencies.
Talking to The Bangladesh Today a high official of the law enforcing agencies preferring anonymity said that most of the criminals are being patronised by the political leaders.
“Recurrence of killing incidents is posing a threat to law and order situation in the city and elsewhere across the country”, he observed.
In last three days at least five people were killed by the armed hoodlums where many incidents of crimes like ransacking in Railway Bhaban, snatching, robbery and looting have taken a serious shape worrying the city dwellers.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
