S A Shofiee ,Sylhet, :
The main railway station of the district has turned into a safe haven for all kinds of anti-social activities. The station’s yard is dominated by hijackers, musclemen, drug addicts and prostitutes posing a serious threat to general passengers.
According to field sources, though the government railway police (GRP) remain on duty at the station, they are hardly seen to take any action against those criminals.
From the station to Kinbridge road, Tarminal, Kodomtoly, Laiwai, rail gate and other areas across the district City have become hunting ground for the criminals. The townies are passing their daily lives amid insecurity and sufferings.
There are allegations that a certain gang in collaboration and support with police are indulged in such criminal activities.
The surrounding areas of the railway station are not safe for any pedestrian. The hotels adjacent to the railway station have emerged as a place of public nuisance.
While discussing the ongoing social activities across the station and associated areas, Station Manager Abdur Razzak, in frustrated tone, said, “We wrote to concerned authorities, informing about the deteriorating position but nothing has been done to control the situation.”
Second Officer Zia of local GRP informed that they cannot take any action without receiving any written complaint.
Against this alarming situation, general passengers and people of the town demanded government’s intervention to ensure safety and security to public life.
Land grabbers torch house, stab three
Land grabbers vandalised, looted and torched the house of a Hindu family at Barkot village in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet district on Saturday.
They also stabbed three members of the family to grab the land, said police and locals.
The injured are house owner Ripon Deb, his wife and daughter. They were admitted to the upazila health complex.
A gang of 15 led by one Akbar Ali of the same village swooped on the house of Ripon around 9:00pm, said Kazol Das, convener of Golapganj upazila Hindu Bouddha Christian Oikya Parishad.
As the family members resisted the land grabbers, they vandalised, looted and torched their house and stabbed the three, he said.
Ripon’s father Nogendra Deb said the loss caused by the fire could go up to Tk 5 lakh.
Local influential person Akbar Ali is involved in the land grabbing, alleged Fazlul Haque Shibli, officer-in-charge of Golapganj Police Station.
Yesterday, the victim’s father filed a case against five people in connection with the land occupation, said the OC.
