Acts of terrorism, murder and abduction, looting and illegal toll collection have contributed to deterioration of law and order in the port city and its surrounding areas. There is hardly any day that passes without any incident of crime, but most of these incidents including abduction remain unreported, according to sources.

In Hathazari, Raozan and Fatikchhari, the most vulnerable areas of Chittagong in terms of crime, notorious terrorists roam freely carrying sophisticated arms,

the sources informed.

Sources also said that these 'identified' terrorists enjoy blessing of some influential political leaders who are busy organising the gangsters to serve their own purposes during the upcoming parliament polls.

At least ten people, including businessmen and expatriates who were returning home from Middle Eastern countries, were reportedly abducted by armed goons in Fatikchhari area alone in the past one month. They were later released on ransom, sources said.

The police, however, say that

efforts are on to curb crime in Chittagong.

Meanwhile, a senior medical officer of Chittagong port, Zahurul Islam Sarkar, was killed allegedly by armed terrorists who stormed his residence on OR Nizam Road in the city on the night of April 28, police and local residents said.

The killing angered the medical professionals in the port city, prompting the doctors to observe a two-hour work stoppage in hospitals, clinics and chambers from 10 in the morning on April 30. The doctors also registered their protests against the killing by holding rallies,

which were organised by the Chittagong chapter of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA).

On April 18, two senior journalists of the Daily Purbakone were assaulted allegedly by ruling party-backed ward commissioner Mamunur Rashid Mamun, known as the most notorious criminal and extortionist in Chittagong.

Mamun and his associates allegedly ransacked the office of the Daily

Purbakone on the night of April 18. Journalists based in Chittagong launched agitation programmes and local dailies kept blank space on the front pages as a mark of protest and demanded his immediate arrest.

The journalists here also formed a human chain on April 29 and observed a seven-hour hunger strike in front of Chittagong Press Club the following day demanding arrest of and punishment to Mamun. Sources said such an incident inside the newspaper office has scared professional journalists in the port city.

Mamun has unleashed a reign of terror in the city despite being entangled in over 20 criminal cases and he is enjoying blessing of some ministers and ruling party stalwarts, sources said.

A minister based here sheltered Mamun even after the police were on the look out for him in connection

with a case filed by journalists under the Public Safety Act (PSA), sources said.

On April 29, Tk three lakh were looted from a shop at Chawkbazar in the heart of the city by some identified terrorists. Although a case was filed with Panchlaish thana under PSA, none has so far been arrested.

An alleged terrorist wanted in connection with over a dozen criminal cases was shot dead at Bakalia by his rivals following a dispute over a deal to purchase arms on April 27, police and other sources said.

A young man was shot dead by his rivals over a dispute over extraction of bamboo in Pahartoli area on April 25. Illegal toll collection from business houses and markets by crime syndicates is a common phenomenon in this port city, sources said.