More and more reports of murders are coming in every day from around the country, and police are failing to bring the criminals to book.
Because the criminals have largely remained out of law’s reach, the number of murders, especially the political ones, has been rising recently.
Investigators say most of these killings take place centring tender manipulation, extortion, land grabbing, establishing supremacy and political feuds.
Experts have identified three major reasons behind criminals succeeding in dodging the hands of law.
The first reason is political influence. There are allegations that whenever there is a murder, police first look into the political affiliations of the prime suspect before making any arrest.
On May 20, Ekramul Haque, chairman of Fulgazi upazila in Feni, was shot dead in broad daylight in the district town. Investigators later found involvement of local Awami League leaders Jahangir Adel and Ziaul Alam Mister’s involvement with the crime. They are both known as close associates of local lawmaker Nizam Hazari. Police are yet to arrest any of the two.
On May 29, criminals killed Water Development Board contractor Sultan Ahmed at Motijheel in the capital in broad daylight.
Afzal Hossain, a leader of the ruling Awami League’s farmers’ wing Krishak League, allegedly killed him centring a conflict over tender.
Sultan’s cousin Farid Hossain alleged that police could not manage to bring the suspects to book although it had been three months since the murder.
On March 6 last year, Narayanganj college student Tanvir Mohammad Twoki was abducted and killed but law enforcers are yet to arrest any suspect although they claimed that the investigation was almost done with. Twoki’s father reportedly has an open conflict with an influential ruling party lawmaker from Narayanganj.
On July 29 last year, Reazul Haque Khan Milky, a leader of ruling party’s youth front Jubo League, was killed in a cinematic way in the capital’s Gulshan area.
Killer HM Zahid Siddique Tareq, also a Jubo League leader, was caught in the act on a CCTV camera of a shopping mall. He was arrested but was later killed in an alleged gunfight with law enforcers.
There are allegations that when the charge sheet was actually filed, the name of Zahidul Islam Tipu, another ruling party leader, was left out.
According to Milky’s family, the murder was the result of a feud between Milky and Tipu over establishing supremacy. They said the feud was an open secret and Tareq committed the murder on Tipu’s instruction.
Later Milky’s family moved the High Court, seeking reinvestigation and following a court order, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police took over the case from Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
The latest incidents of political killing were reported only last Saturday when two ruling party leaders were killed in Dhaka and Jessore. As of Tuesday, police did not make any arrest in connection with the murders.
According to experts, the second reason for murder cases remaining in the dark or led astray is corruption by the law enforcers. On August 29 last year, a retired CID official Fazlul Karim Khan was murdered in the capital’s Rampura area because his anti-drug campaign was hurting the illegal business of local Chhatra League leader Tapu.
It has been almost a year and police could arrest only one of the seven alleged killers while another was killed in a “gunfight.” Nearly a month ago, investigation officer SI Wahid was transferred because he had allegedly taken bribe from Tapu and delayed the proceedings of the case.
On April 27 this year, Awami League leader and Narayanganj panel mayor Nazrul Islam, along with six other, were abducted and later killed in the city. Investigators have found that at least three RAB officials were involved with the sensational abductions and murders as contract killers.
Experts have also identified negligence by law enforcers as another major reason why many murder cases never make any progress.
In April 2012, the decomposed body of a young girl, with a scarf around her neck, was recovered by police from the capital’s Shere Bangla Nagar area. In more than two years, law enforcers have not even managed to identify her, let alone bringing the criminals to book.
Abul Kashem Mohammad Baki Billah, assistant commissioner DB police and investigation officer of the case, said they were to sort out the mystery behind the death. “But investigation is underway and we are trying our best,” he said.
According to the Crime Cell Database at the Police Headquarters, at least 47,276 murder cases were filed since 2002. The highest of 4,393 cases were filed in 2013 alone. In the first seven months of this year, at least 2,669 cases have been filed around the country.
Professor Dr Zia Rahman, chairman of the Criminology Department of Dhaka University, said: “The criminals get chances to repeat crimes if they do not get punished. That is why law enforcers need to ensure punishment for the criminals first without thinking which political party they belong to.”
About the political killings, he said there must be an increased awareness among the political. “Moreover, the authorities need to be strong in taking action against such crimes.”
Former inspector general of police M Azizul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune: “The criminals sometimes get out of reach because of investigators’ weakness and political reasons. Witnesses do not feel secure, so they do not give depositions. Conviction rate in the country is also not satisfactory. Sometimes the trials do not proceed in the right way.”
He also said: “Economic, political and social reasons are responsible for the rise in murders. There were more murders last year because of political violence. Improving economic, social and political conditions can reduce the rate of violence. Speeding up investigation and trial are also important.”
The criminals sometimes get out of reach due to weakness of the investigators and political reasons. Witness does not feel secure in murder cases. Conviction rate in the country is not satisfactory. Sometimes the trials do not happen correctly, he said.
Monirul Islam, joint commissioner of Detective Branch of Police, refuted the allegations saying: “Police sincerely investigates every case and also arrest the criminals. In some cases, criminals are arrested quickly and sometimes it takes time.”
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said they had discussed almost all the pending cases, especially the sensational ones, and had given directives to the appropriate authorities to submit chargesheets and take steps for arresting the criminals.