The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has announced Tk1 lakh reward for helping in the arrest of miscreants who are creating anarchy on the streets, making arson attacks and blasting bombs in the name of blockade.
RAB chief Benazir Ahmed made the announcement at a press conference in the capital on Saturday, three day after the official bounty announcement made by Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal also made a similar announcement on January 20.
While making the announcement, the RAB boss said: “Killing innocent people in the name of movement cannot be a way to do politics. Rather it should be considered as a criminal offence.”
“As per our existing law, killing people by carrying out arson attacks is a criminal offence and those, who are involved with such crimes will be tried. None will be allowed to kill people by throwing petrol bombs.”
The BNP-led 20-party has been observing nationwide non-stop roads and waterways blockade since January 5.
The current blockade has been marked by violence and sporadic clashes between the police and protesters, leaving a number of people killed and injured.
More than 35 people have been killed since the blockade has been enforced.
In wake of such incidents of arson, the government has announced rewards for catching anarchists responsible for violence during hartal and blockades.
However, as of Saturday, nobody has given police any information about those suspected Jamaat-Shibir activists.
According to sources, there is no instance in Bangladesh’s history where a bounty is announced and a common citizen has helped police in arresting a criminal by giving information or any other means.
Earlier in December 2013, when political unrest in the country was at its peak, Dhaka Metropolitan Police published a list of 11 individuals and declared Tk1 lakh bounty for each of them after a group of criminals vandalised and set fire to cars and shops and exploded bombs near the Fakirerpul kitchen market in the capital.