Over the last three days, 20 militants have been released from prison on bail. Officer of law enforcement are shocked and appalled by the fact that their hard work to track down each criminal is nullified by a court order.
Various senior officials expressed their dissatisfaction with the bails. From Wednesday to Friday, at least 20 militants were released from Kashimpur High Security Jail. Prison authorities shrugged when inquiries were made, and said a court order can enforce the release of the most dangerous of criminals.
Prashanta Kumar, superintendent of Kashimpur High Security Jail, told the Bangla Tribune that the prison authorities begin processing the release of a prisoner as soon as they receive the bail orders. But in the case of dangerous criminals or people affiliated with banned organisations, the authorities promptly inform law enforcement agencies and intelligence services.
On Thursday morning, Hijb-ut-Tahrir’s Abdul Baten was released from Kashimpur. He has four cases against him – two in Manikganj and two more in Dhaka under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Special Powers Act. An hour after Baten’s release, Abul Kalam, Mizanur Rahman and Selim Mia walked out of the prison. All three were charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act. All in all, four were released on Thursday.
And then on Friday, JMB’s Shariat Ullah alias Shuvo, Ashikul Akbar and Nazmus Sakib, and Mamunur Rashid, Yasin, Jahidul Islam and Morshed – a total of seven militants – were let out from Kashimpur on Friday after receiving bail.
And on Wednesday, Monir Hossain and JMB’s Aminul Islam received bail and were released from Kashimpur jail.
The public prosecutor at Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal denied knowing of any recent bail from his court. Deputy Attorney General Motahar Hossain Saju said militants or people affiliated with banned organisations are not supposed to receive bail.
“Even if by some unfortunate chance they do get bail, the office of the attorney general appeals to suspend the bail. We have a ‘zero tolerance’ directive when it comes to militants.”
Several members of various anti-terrorism task forces lamented the spree of militant bails, saying: “The people who dedicate so much of their time to identify and track down threats to the country are the only ones who genuinely know the pain of seeing these people walk out so easily.
“Almost all the militants return to militancy upon release. They go into hiding and resume their subversive activities.”
Prison sources informed that between January and June 2017, a total of 148 militants have been released from Kashimpur High Security Jail on bail. A source with a law enforcement agency corroborated the claim, and added that the number has exceeded 200 through July and August.
The militants out on bail are affiliated with IS, old JMB, New JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team, Harkat-ul Jihad Bangladesh (HuJiB) and Hijb-ut Tahrir.
This story was first published on Bangla Tribune