THE gun down of a prison guard of Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur in the broad daylight on Monday just two days after the killing of Rajshahi University (RU) Professor Rezaul Karim Siddiquee outside his home showed the desperate law and order situation where nobody is safe now in the country. Tragedies are only making the nation mute. It is almost unthinkable that three gunmen killed the jail guard, now on leave preparatory to retirement, in front of the jail gate defying the high security in the area. In another development some assailants chopped to death two persons last evening in the city’s Kalabagan area including a cousin of former Foreign Minister and Awami League leader Dr Dipu Moni in his flat. The killing spree, which appears to be targeted killings, apart from ongoing violence and such other killing throughout the country on socio-political ground, is sending the ominous sign of growing chaos and public disorder ahead. What appears quite surprising is that hardcore criminals did not hesitate to shoot the prison guard right in front of the jail gate throwing challenge to the government. Jails are places where criminals are imprisoned and punished but the killers showed they are least bothered about it. In fact we are living in a situation now when people don’t know when and where they may fall victim to assailants’ hands. More and more violence and killings are now creating panic in the nation almost on daily basis. The government does not bother to do anything to save the lives of the people, other than saying killers were motivated to bring bad name to the government. It should be clear to all that such routine killings do not speak of the government being in charge of law and order. It will not help the government to find excuses for not saving lives. The admission of Inspector General of Prisons that a murder “so close” to the proximity of the prison is “of great concern to the police and the general public” makes sense. But his disclosure that jail authorities all over the country have asked to beef up security is not enough. But we think that bureaucratic power-based thinking will not save the people or help the government.
