We appreciate different professional bodies and some eminent citizens’ resentment over recent rampant abductions, forced disappearances and murders as well as a call for restoring sense of security in the country. A number of statements came following the abduction of Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam with four others and in a separate incidence the abduction of Advocate Chandan Sarker and his driver most of whose bodies were later found floating in Shitalakkhya. In a statement a number of prominent citizens have said that the present crisis has been created, following failure of the law enforcing agencies in conducting proper investigation of incidents of abductions and arrest of those responsible for the crimes. The signatories to the statement include Professor Anisuzzaman, Prof. Salauddin, Qayum Chowdhury, Prof. Zillur Rahman Siddique, Prof. Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Prof. Ajay Roy, Dr. Sarwar Ali, Advocate Sultana Kamal, Ramendu Majumder and Nasiruddin Yusuf. Meanwhile, Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Professor Mizanur Rahman on Friday stressed the need for restoration of sense of security among the people as they are in the grip of panic over incidents of abductions and murders in the country. Security analyst Major General (retd) Mohammad Ibrahim told The New Nation yesterday, “So, it was publicized that they could do anything but now they are doing nothing. Summary is, either the law enforcing agencies wake up to meet their challenges or they will be forced to meet wrath of the common suffering people,” he added. The concern expressed by highly placed intellectuals, though late, still offers hope that the government will take them seriously. But what has not been expressed is that the police being highly politicised for using them politically, they are virtually political workers. The needed political commitment to deal with politically connected crimes. So the weakness of the police and others should be known to the eminent members of the society. They should demand political commitment from the Prime Minister who is also the Home Minister and also political reform. The government that lacks popular legitimacy has to remain in power forcefully and also to depend on politicised police for supporting state terrorism for silencing the voice of protest. Already 268 persons have been kidnapped.Those who say that trained persons are involved, why should not they also say who are using those trained persons and for whose interest?
