Bangladesh News

Joint forces comprising police, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), Armed Police Battalion and Ansars are likely to launch a fresh crackdown on extremists and militants from tonight in 10 districts of Khulna division.

All camps of law enforcement agencies in the division have been asked to remain on standby and respond to call of duty in the special operations as per directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The deputy inspector general (DIG) of Khulna range told The Daily Star on Thursday that the law and order situation is taking a bad turn as militancy and extremism in the south-western region is on the rise.

“We have taken the matter seriously in the wake of a number of incidents of extortion and murder.

Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) Janajuddha faction’s murder of Abhaynagar Uapzila Health Officer Akram Ali Mollah indicated the rise of the outlaws,” he said.

Information from intelligence agencies say Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) cadres and cadres of two underground organisations are regrouping in the south-western zone with a view to carrying out subversive attacks at any opportunity, sources said.

They said JMB cadres held two secret meetings last week in the Sundarbans and Taluigacha border area of Satkhira to raise funds to have arrested militants of the organisation released.

Sources said cadres of two underground organisations also joined the secret meeting of JMB to raise funds required for subversive attacks.

“We are alert to any subversive acts anywhere in Khulna divisions,” said Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) Commissioner Khan Saeed Hasan and Khulna Range DIG Mesoaunnabi.

Meanwhile, police prepared a fresh list of over 100 top criminals. The new list contains names of four ‘godfathers’ of ruling BNP and main opposition Awami League, six ward commissioners and twenty armed cadres of three student organisations.

According to reliable sources of KMP and Khulna district police, another list is being prepared which contains the names of criminals now in different jails of south-western region. Authorities of the jails were asked to send a list of the criminals by tomorrow.

Files containing background information on criminals have also been prepared. Vigorous investigation is going on to find out links between them and ‘political godfathers’, sources said.

Intelligence agencies are also continuing their investigation into the allegation of links between Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir, its student wing, with JMB, said KMP Commissioner Hasan.