AMID police operations and a series of anti-narcotics drives in different areas, the law and order situation is not yet satisfactory. Newspaper reports said selling and smuggling of drugs especially Yaba is going on without any interruption. Side by side, the incidents of snatching, robbery and theft have also increased in the recent days. Not only that, the killing of political rivals has also become a common feature ahead of the elections.
In the latest incident, two activists of the Awami League were killed and another one injured in an internal feud at Morelganj in Bagerhat on Monday. The dead have been identified as Shukur Sheikh, a member of the local unit of the ruling party, and Ansar Ali Dihidar, general secretary of Daibaggahati Awami League, while the injured person Bablu Sheikh was labour affairs secretary of Daibaggahati Tanti League. Superintendent of Police in Bagerhat said the incident occurred at the union council office. The associates of victims clad in burqas attacked the Daibaggahati Union Parishad Chairman Shahidul Islam, and the chairman’s followers carrying sharp weapons repelled the attack, the SP said. It is not a single story. Several incidents have reportedly taken place in different areas to establish supremacy in the locality.
Meanwhile, the anti-drug war declared by the law enforcement agencies has ultimately appeared as a farce where some trigger-happy police allegedly remain busy in shooting practice resulting in the killing of several hundred people in the last few months. Whereas no action has been taken yet against the godfathers of Yaba business, including a ruling party MP. According to the list prepared by the Home Ministry, several police officials were also directly involved with drug trade and smuggling — five OCs of Chattogram Metropolitan Police are named in the list.
We fear apart from increasing drug smuggling and other crimes, the incidents of killing and clashes between the rival political groups would increase with the nearing of national elections. What is significant is that, several activists of opponent political parties are on the run to escape arrest in the falsely implicated police cases. This cannot be an ideal scenario of a law and order situation.
