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Rule of outlaws in south-west

Combing operations fail to arrest killing spree

By Abul Kalam Azad
Despite the ongoing combing operation in the country’s south-western region, neither killings by outlaws have stopped nor law and order has improved in the areas in the last one and a half years.
Armed terrorists of different outlawed parties continued to kill their rivals and innocent people in the region even after the combing operation began on April 21 last year.
A total of 1.600 people were arrested soon after launching of the operation Jointly conducted bj the BDR Ar med Polk e and Ansar. About 500 outlaws have so far surrendered to police along with their arms.
According to available reports. over 60 people were killed tn different districts of the region In 1999. The number was ilOln 1998 ren pecwle have bo far been killed In the current year. Most of the killings took place In Jessore and Ku.Mitla
The victims Include Journalists. leaders and activists of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSDl and the ruling party and its front organisations.
The latest victim was Sham-sur Rahman, special correspondent of the Dally Janakan-tha. based In Jessore Gunmen shot him dead al his Jai) Road
office on Sunday night He was once Involved in left politics and his recent reports on activities of outlawed parties were appreciated by all quarters.
Rahman was the second Journalist killed by armed terrorists after R M Saiful Islam Mukul. Editor of the dallv Runner, was gunned In Jessore town on August 30. 1998. Mukul died on the spot when armed assailants sprayed bullets on him on Ins way back to Deshpara residence.
In 1999. the biggest terrorist Incident in the region was the bomb attack at a cultural function of Udichi Shllpi Gosthi Ten people were killed and more than 200 injured when two powerful bombs exploded at the function on Jessore Town Hall premises In the early hours of March 7. The killings < rented a sensation throughout the country
Another sensational incident was the killing of five persons Including JSD central leader and valiant freedom fighter Kazi Aref Ahmed. They were shot dead on February 16 at a public meeting at Khali-daspnr Primary School ground in Kushtia Fifteen others were Injured In the Incident The four others killed were Lokman Hossain, president of Kushtia District USD; Advocate Yakub All. former Upazila chairman and general secretary of the district JSD. Israll Hossain and Shamsur Mondal.
Another JSD leader. Monwar Hossain, was killed in •* gun battle allegedly between armed cadres of Puroa Banglar Communist Party and JSD Ganabahlnt at Jhoudla In Sadar thana In Kushtia on February 24
Ajmal Hossain a local leader of Awami Lcagm and a member of Naihaly Union Parishad in Rupsha thana of Kushtia. was shot dead and three others were injured when a gang of terrorists opened fire on them at a tea stall in the area on February' 27. An activist BCL was stabbed to death at Rajapur village on February 25.
Earlier on January 1 7. a local JSD leader and UP chairman Akbar All was killed in Kushtia. Another JSD leader. Raflqul Islam . was killed on the same day at Ziaraki Three others — Sukur. Motlur and Rubel — were murdered on January' 15.
Three more people Including a woman were gunned down allegedly by a group of terrorists al village Mirpur In Ku-markhall thana of Kushtia district on April 24. The victims were Matlur Rahman. Ayub All and his wife Ulka Begum. According to local people. Matlur was a member of Sramajibi Muktl Andolon and the killers might be his rivals belonging to an outlawed party.
A Juba League leader was shot dead by three unidentified assailants in Daulatpur thana on April 7 while Mostafa Habib, chairman of Shurkatl union parishad in Batiaghata thana, was gunned down on April 3.
In Khulna district, three armed cadres of an outlawed party were killed and two others injured in an attack by villagers at Balarapur under Terokeda thana on February 23.
Four people were murdered in Shailakupa and Hari-nakunda thana In Jhenidah and two were shot dead In Jes-sore towm on April 1. Three others were slaughtered by the outlaws in Jessore on April 24.
Seven people were slaughtered at village Bishnapur in Chuadanga on April 26.
An AL leader. Kala Biswas, was shot dead by outlaw’s at Pabna on May I.
A BCL leader was killed by miscreants in Pabna on July 2 and another was killed in a clash between police and muggers in KI mln a on November 25 in 1999.
This year, an unidentified leader of Purba Banglar Communist Party iMLI RaTs^Khan
was lynched by a mob at village Shlbptir In Santhia thana In Pabna
The biggest massacre In the current year was slaughter of four persons of a family In Bagernat on March I 1. Unidentified terrorists slaughtered (hem while they were asleep at (heir house at Sharankhola
Another person. Deben. was slaughtered at Hemayetpur in Pabna Police recovered the victims head after seven days of the incident
Some unidentified assailants slaughtered a Jubo League leader, Masud Parvej. In .Jessore on May 1
Two former outlaws gunned down and another was bullet-lilt in an attack on Kushtia-Jhenidah road on June |8 and a JSD leader. Mohammad Hossain Sachchu. was killed in Jessore on July 1 I.
In 1998 a total of 115 people Including 35 leaders and workers of JSD were killed L, extremists in Kushtia.
Of them. JSD leader Monlruzzaman Badal was killed on November 31. Sirajul and Asad on November 25. Advocate Noor Hossain Babu on November 21. On October 20. terrorists shot dead Bheramara JSD president Ranjeet Sigh Roy at his residence.
Two persons — Shariful and Mamun — were killed on September 17 and three others — Hlron, Nazrul and Aribar — on September 28 In Ku-markhali thana of Kushtia.
Meanwhile, our Jessore correspondent adds:
There are more than 3,000 armed terrorists In the region They’ possess AK 47. AK 56. sten gun. sub-machine gun. SLR and nine-shooter and other modem weapons and powerful explosives. according to CID sources and local leaders.
Many of those, who surrendered at the call of the Home Minister were released on bail, have again resorted to terrorist activities. Anwar Hossain Debu. commander of Gana Muktl Fouz in Khulna Division. Is one of the accused tn UVus murder case released on bail.
Some sources said top leaders' of the gangs now In jail are conducting their activities through their accomplices. The top leaders included Soinsel alias Robin, Bidhan. Hasan alias Shihab alias Shimoi. Sabuz, Lalon alias Daud, Pankhiraj alias Tota, Joy alias Aka. BiJoy alias Banka. Laltu. Paban anil Hanif.
One source said the terrorists have now spread their activities throughout the region. They are very annoyed that the government did not keep its 'commitment' made before their surrender. "It is thought that even five per cent of the terrorists did not surrender and they are now'out of the nr-r" he added.