Failure of the law enforcers in arresting suspected accused, delay in investigation and lengthy trial procedure to punish the religious extremists are behind the repeated murders of advocates of secularism, allege experts and activists.
They blame the law enforcement agencies for negligence while some think that religious fanatics have their own men in the security forces and the government’s crucial positions. Otherwise, they think, the government could be able to uproot militancy and the murders would not have taken place.
“It seems that the killings have been taking place as the criminals see they can evade arrest and punishment. Moreover, no specialised system has been adopted by the government to track and arrest the militants,” Prof Shah Ehsan Habib of criminology department of Dhaka University told the Dhaka Tribune.
“Failure of the law enforcers in taking prompt and effective steps after every incident and the pending trials in previous cases work as inspiration for the criminals.”
He thinks if the law enforcers act responsibly and the government executes sentences against the militants, such killings will come down in the future.
“Since the killers belong to some radical Islamist groups, it is a political fight for the government,” Prof Habib added.
Yesterday, family of the latest victim, Ananta Bijoy Das, filed a case against four unnamed persons over the murder that took place at Subidbazar of Sylhet on Tuesday. The law enforcers are in the dark about the killers and their affiliation.
Three other secular activists were killed recently – Rajshahi University teacher Prof AKM Shafiul Islam, science writer Avijit Roy and activist Oyasiqur Rahman Babu – in the hands of radical groups.
But the Detective Branch of police and US investigating agency FBI could not make any breakthrough as yet.
Detectives suspect that members of militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team were behind the killings. Recently emerged group Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has claimed responsibility for the four killings.
According to media reports, the five banned extremist groups including JMB and Hizb ut-Tahrir have revived their activities recently whereas the law enforcers have traced a number of new outfits. It is also learnt that the major groups have been working together since late last year aiming at establishing Shariah law in the country.
The Awami League-led government in 2011 reinstated secularism in the constitution. However, it recognises Islam as the state religion and allows religion-based politics.
“The law enforcers always say ‘investigation is under way’ only to hide their failure in unearthing the mystery behind the militant acts,” Imran H Sarker, spokesperson of Gonojagoron Moncho, said.
Some people within the government are working as insiders for the militants. “Otherwise, the extremists could not kill the secular bloggers one by one,” he claimed.
DB Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam hopes that they will be able to bring the killers to book soon. “We are performing our duties properly. We are monitoring activities of the criminals.”
He claimed that the recent killings were committed by members of Ansarullah Bangla Team under the supervision of its operations wing leader Redwanul Azad Rana. “He may have fled the country. But we are working to trace him.”
Asked about providing security to the other secular activists, he said: “Police are responsible for ensuring security of all the people and we are doing it professionally.”
State Minister for Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan yesterday termed the killing of Bijoy a stray incident. He also hinted that it might be an act of Ansarullah members.
Police recently submitted a proposal to the Home Ministry to form a specialised unit under the force to combat militancy. Elite force Rapid Action Battalion too work on militancy. A high-power government task force, having representatives from different ministries, security forces and related institutions, is also working to uproot militancy from the country.
Nur Khan, director of investigation at human rights watchdog Ain O Salish Kendra, thinks that delay in investigation, lengthy trial procedure and not bringing up the whole picture of the incidents are causing recurrence of attacks on bloggers.
Apart from conducting the investigations properly, the law enforcers also need to create awareness among the commoners who fall prey to the religious fanatics easily. “The law enforcers cannot stop their activities along. They need the support of the people.”
