Sagar Biswas :
The government has decided to take legal steps to check bail procurement of militants, terrorists and hardcore criminals with a view to keeping law and order situation under control.
At present over 150 listed criminals, convicted of murder, kidnapping, militancy, sabotage, drug trafficking and other organized crimes, are waiting to come out of jail getting bail from the relevant courts using the loopholes of existing laws, official sources said.
Apart from it, several members of crime rackets have recently managed bail just within hours of their arrest exercising monetary or political influence, which has also become a major concern of the government high-ups, the sources added.
“The government will take legal steps so that criminals cannot secure bail easily after their arrest. The decision was taken at a meeting of Cabinet Committee on law and order on Sunday. The meeting also decided to strengthen anti-narcotics drive and nab the drug traffickers,” Minister for Industries Amir Hossain Amu said.
Amu, who is also head of the Cabinet Committee, said, “Several criminals those were arrested on charge of terrorism, sabotage, drug trafficking and other crimes have secured bail in the recent time. So, the cabinet committee has decided to harden the relevant laws. We will ask the concerned department to make laws more critical so that the hardcore criminals cannot get bail.”
Sources close to the Home Ministry said that police and other security agencies are now worried fearing possible breakdown of law and order as about 150 local hardcore criminals may come out from jails in the next few months getting bail from different courts.
Senior officials of law enforcement agencies, including Rapid Action Battalion [RAB], reportedly expressed anxiety over the issue in a meeting held at Police Headquarters recently.
Later, the decision of the meeting was transmitted to 64 district headquarters where the Superintendents of Police [SPs] were asked to conduct special directives and take extra precaution about the criminals.
According to sources, top terror Sweden Aslam, who has been facing 18 criminal cases, including several murders, with different police stations, may be freed from jail getting bail from court.
Another top terror Tofail Ahmed alias Joseph is also waiting for coming out of jail. Recently the High Court cancelled his death sentence and awarded him with life term. His jail term [14 years] has been completed recently and so, there is no bar to let him free.
Of the top terrors, Islami Chhatra Shibir laeder Nasir obtained bail in 16 cases out of 17. Besides, Tofail Ahmed alias Joseph, Arman Mia and Sanjedul Islam Imon have got bail in eight cases out of nine. The situation is all the same for other criminals.
Police Headquarters sources said that like Sweden and Joseph, about 150 hardcore criminals are now waiting to come out of jails. Most of the criminals have managed bail in last one year by exercising political influence, the sources said.
Meeting sources said that the government has decided to take tough stance against Yaba, a synthetic drugs usually trafficked from neighbouring Myanmar. The elite force Rapid Action Battalion [RAB] recently caught two large consignments of Yaba and secured huge important information about the drug racket from the arrestees.
“We have started negotiation with Myanmar government to stop Yaba smuggling from there. The smuggling of Phensidyl is now reduced due to effective measures taken by Indian government,” the Minister disclosed.
In the latest incident, one person was killed in a violent dacoity at a jewellry shop in the city on Saturday night. The Cabinet Committee, however, expressed satisfaction over the present law and order situation. “The incidents of murder, robbery, dacoity and others are now in tolerable figure,” said Amu. About terror financing issue, Amu said, “We have got enough evidences and proofs about the terror financing, and we have discussed the matter in the Cabinet Meeting for several times. The relevant agencies have also conducted investigation into the matter. The government will take tough legal action against financers of terrors.”
The Industries Minister said that law enforcement agencies have taken extra precautionary measures to check issuance of death threat and extortion through mobile phones. “The police have been asked to initiate an instant investigation even if anyone complains verbally,” he said.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and other officials concerned were present at the cabinet committee meeting.
