Senior lawyers, human rights activists and civil society members have expressed concern over increase of abduction in the country. They said that the government can’t shroud off its responsibility while they suggesting actions against those involved in such crimes.
Expressing grave concern over the issue, president of Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain told The New Nation that the government has to unveil the mystery of abduction incidents. If the government fails to do it, it should quit immediately, he said.
Former adviser to the caretaker government Advocate Sultana Kamal urged the government to take immediate action to curb incidents of abduction, saying that the sharp rise of abduction has become a matter of serious concern. The government has to ensure security to the people, she added.
Dr Mizanur Rahman, chairman of National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh (NHRC),
said that incidents of abduction have increased in recent time which is alarming. It is very alarming that the law enforcing agencies fail to trace most of the victims since their disappearances. The government has to take immediate steps in this regard, he said.
At least 11 people disappeared within 24 hours since last Sunday to Monday afternoon. Panel mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) Nazrul Islam with four others were abducted on Sunday while senior advocate of Narayanganj district court Chandan Kumar Sarker and his driver were also abducted after Nazrul’s adduction. Within 24 hours, four others were abducted in Gazipur and Mymensingh on Monday. Residents of Narayanganj, Gazipur and Mymensingh expressed concern over frequent kidnappings.
Earlier on April 27, Juba Dal leader Shamsul Islam Solaiman was found dead in Laxmipur, a day after his abduction from the city. On April 22, an official of Islami Bank was also abducted from Golpukur Par area in Mymensingh. The body of timber trader Abul Kashem, 50, was recovered from the septic tank of a house at Dakkhin Surma in Sylhet, days after he had been missing since April 22. On April 20, Yusuf Ali alias Sohagh, a second year student of Mymensingh Homoeopathic Medical College, was abducted by unidentified miscreants. On April 16, businessman Abu Bakar Siddique, husband of green activist Syeda Rizwana Hasan, was abducted and set free after 35 hours.
On March 5, three brothers who are all students of village Bhyaboha in Bhaluka were abducted. Later, they were dropped on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at midnight, after three days of their abduction.
Sultana Kamal, also chief executive of Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK), said that the ASK is deeply concerned over the frequent incidents of abduction. The law enforcing agencies must do easy their to ensure people’s security, she said.
According to a recent report of the ASK, at least 41 people were abducted in the first two months of the current year, bodies of only seven were found while only two persons were released. The number of the abduction was 53 last year.
