Sagar Biswas :
Motorcycle and its riders have of late become the talk of the country posing a big security threat to Bangladesh as trained militants, especially the operators of Islamist outfits like Jama’atul Mujahedin Bangladesh, are using this vehicle for target killings and quickly fleeing the spot. Latest reports say the law enforcers have already seized the motorcycle used by the three killers of Mahmuda Khanam Mitu, wife of Babul Akhtar, Superintendent of Police on Monday on the basis of information gathered from CCTV video footage.
According to police, the militants have so far used motorcycles in most of the 35 killing operations since last February in different parts of the country.
Apart from the killing, the motorcycles are very much popular among underworld criminals for snatching, robbery and other hardcore crimes, such as hurling cocktails or fire-bombs, the police sources said.
In the latest spate of killings, Mahmuda Khanam, 33, wife of Police Super Babul Akhter and grocer Sunil Gomes, 60, were killed in pre-planned attacks by suspected motorcycle riders in Chittagong and Natore on Sunday.
In this backdrop, the government has imposed ban on three persons riding a motorcycle after video-footage showed three motorbike riders involved in killing Police Super Babul Akhter’s wife in Chittagong, the first incident of militant attack on a top cop’s family member.
“Three persons won’t be allowed on a motorbike anymore, under any circumstances. From today, a motorcyclist will not be allowed to carry even his spouse and child,” Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said on Monday.
He said: “We will only permit two people to ride a motorcycle. Directive has already been given to law enforcement agencies in this regard. …. The targeted killings are carried out by motorbike riders in the country.”
Interestingly, the government had imposed a similar ban a few more times in the past but failed to implement the decision. The restriction [under Section 88 of the Motor Vehicles Ordinance for Public Safety] was imposed on January 22 last year after two foreigners were shot dead by three masked motorcycle riders.
Of them, Italian citizen and charity worker Cesare Tavella was gunned down by three motorcycle-riding assailants at Dhaka’s Diplomatic Zone Gulshan on September 28 last year. In another incident, Japanese citizen Hoshi Kunio was killed by three masked assailants riding a motor bike at Mahiganj in Rangpur district on October 6 last year.
Meanwhile, expressing determination to implement the decision, Road Communication and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said that riding of three persons on motorbikes must be banned.
“No three persons on a motorbike. Besides, the rider and passengers must be wear helmets. Bangladesh Road Transport Authority [BRTA] will start a massive crackdown to implement the directive,” the Minister said.
It is to be noted that, the concerned departments had tried to ‘Check and Control’ the suspected motorcycle riders when hurling fire-bombs and cocktails became rampant during non-stop blockade programme of opposition BNP and its allies.
But they failed. Even, the Police Department could not implement the law regarding compulsory wearing of helmets till the date. On the contrary, unregistered and fake-registration holding motorcycles flood the city streets due to relaxed mood of BRTA and Traffic Department of Police, it is alleged.
