NEWS reports said at least nine extremists were killed in organized police raids in the capital and at some other places in three days ending on Wednesday while another three were killed on Thursday. On the other hand, in the latest terror act, a Hindu priest has been killed in a monastery early on Friday at Hemayetpur in Pabna by extremists, just few days away from similar killing of a Hindu priest at Jhenaidah and a Christian grocer in Rajshahi district. Killing and counter-killing are making the nation seriously volatile. The killing of the wife of a senior police officer has meanwhile taken the challenge direct to the law enforcers and the government. We know that police are under severe pressure as the spate of killing is escalating. Every new day is adding to the list of unfortunate victims. Particularly the killing of a police family member has created new sensitivities within the establishment. It should be clear that the militants are not ordinary criminals, waiting to be arrested easily. Meanwhile, the number of bloggers, professors, publishers, foreigners and religious people of all communities killed stood over two dozens from last year and over a dozen from early last month. So when the people see news of easy arrest by the police immediately after target killings they cannot be convinced that the real militants are being arrested. One can’t however blame many when they say the government is consciously allowing the situation to escalate to get help and sympathy of the Western nations in its fight against terrorism. But the government is not ready to find wrong in its politics of intolerance.The police have to be careful not to earn the anger of the innocent ones. It is particularly important when family members of a man killed by RAB at Balurmath at Rampura in the capital on Wednesday night claimed he was innocent and not linked to extremism. Another victim killed at Kalshi of the Pallabi area on Monday was reportedly missing for the last one month. Relatives of yet another person arrested in Chittagong in connection with the murder of the Police Super’s wife has claimed he has been framed in the case. In another case a person killed at Turag Bridge on Wednesday night was in fact member of a doping gang. To prove that the real terrorists are arrested, the arrested ones must be produced for trial without delay. Otherwise, wrong arrests will only help to increase killing and counter-killing. There will be no safety in public life. This is seen as incompetence, but the government seems contented in punishing the political opponents. Our police must be professional enough to know that the militancy is the result of politically created tension. They should be honest enough to advice the government honestly.
