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The making of 'stars' in the crime world

MIZANUR KHAN
Sagir Ahmed, alleged criminal and Old Dhaka's ruling party leader was gunned down in broad daylight on June 24. Shaon, a suspect was immediately arrested and shot dead. Law-enforces dug into his background, but found no links with criminal activities.
After Shaon was killed his parents were quizzed. During the interrogation, names of a few of their son's friends were disclosed. Police said these names were unfamiliar and probably new to the crime world.
In another incident, Sulaiman and Kabir Hossain were immediately arrested after a robbery in the Tejgaon area two weeks back. Officer-in-Charge of Tejgaon police station said they did not have any record of crime against these two.
The crime world is expanding with youngsters, and according to the police, criminals like Shaon, Sulaiman and Kabir who were caught recently on charges of extortion, robbery, mugging and kidnapping are new faces in the crime world. Their names do not exist in
the present list of criminals.
Killers of Saurav, an Uttara Rajuk College HSC student who was killed on July 21, are his college-mates and they too bear no criminals records. Awami League city leader Khorshed Alam Bachchu and businessman Kamrul Alam were also killed by teenagers, according to police sources. During July, police killed six young robbers in Mirpur and Lalmatia and these too were new faces.
SM Mizanur Rahman, Police Commissioner, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said the absence of a list of 'upcoming criminals' is a big hurdle to clear in curbing crime. "We have no information on them and cannot take immediate action in case of crime," he said.
These rising criminals have links with top felons who control them behind the scenes. "As they cannot appear on the scene they use teenagers as their decoys," said an Abul Khayer of Lalmatia.
"The entire underworld picture has recently changed. These boys are fresh and we cannot trace them even when we receive any complaints. Many of them possess sophisticated, automatic
arms," said a police official asking not to be named.
Sources said leading criminals have left Dhaka for Kolkata in fear of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), teenage hoodlums between 13 to 18 years have now emerged to reign the capital.
"More than 500 teenagers have become very active, with some turning into professional killers and blessed by ruling party leaders and local ward commissioners," sources said, but DMP sources said the figureis about 1,000.
Political parties and leaders use them to extort people. Many residents said they do not file any case against the 'rising stars' because of the political back up they get.
Sources said these youngsters carry arms openly to create their identity. They collect extortion from local markets and if they are not entertained they ransack shops.
Police officials said different slums have become dens of most criminals where arms are hidden and drug businesses run. Each slum is controlled by a group of 15 to 20 youngsters most of them below 16. Slums in Mirpur, Kafrul, Agargaon, Tejgaon and Nakhalpara
have become safe havens.
Sources said Pichhi Hannan, Kala Jahangir, Killer Abbas, Freedom Sohel, Alauddin and Sweden Aslam entered the underground world when they were below 16 and later became top-notch criminals of the country.
"If we do not nip these teenagers in the bud, they will turn into top criminals later on," said a DMP police official.
He added that it was easy to deploy juveniles in acts of crime for a small amount of money. At the same time they get released easily from police custody because of their age.
DMP and Rab are now busy making two lists of the new faces with their addresses and photographs. "We have asked the officers-in-charge of city's 26 police stations to make a list of the new faces in consultation with the local people," said DMP commissioner, adding: "We also encourage locals to go for community policing in their areas. The situation in Lalmatia and Monipuripara has improved after the deployment of community police in the area."