Murders on rise in Kushtia

The district, which is famous for peace-loving baul singer Fakir Lalon Shah, is no more a land of peace, as it has seen around 10 murders in last one and a half month, according to reports published in newspapers. In October, four people, including two housewives, and in September, six people, including two women, were killed in different parts of the region, an abode of around 19,46,838 people with five municipalities and six upazilas. On October 11, a housewife named Mala Rani was allegedly strangled to death in Mirpur municipality area. The day before, Bithi Khatun, another housewife, was killed in Bheramara. Earlier, on October 9, an elderly man named Akam Uddin succumbed to his injuries at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. He was injured on September 24 in a clash between two groups of local Awami League at Machhpara village in Sadar upazila over establishing supremacy in the area, said Samir Uddin, nephew of the deceased. Two more men were also killed during the clash. A peasant named Lalon Hossain was beaten to death in Daulatpur on September 28, while on September 27, police recovered the body of Sabura Khatun, follower of Fakir Lalon Shah, from Jagti Railway Station in the outskirts of the town. Thus, the list of losing lives in violent attacks becomes longer. In August, three people--an elderly woman,   a girl and a boy—were killed, while a girl allegedly took her life. Except March, each month of this year has gone through the bitter experiences of murders. One man in July, two people in June, three in May, two in April, two in February and one in January were killed over different matters in the district. Prof Abdus Salam, who teaches political science at Kushtia Nuruzzaman Biswas Degree College, said degradation of social values was responsible for increasing such heinous crimes. “If such crimes are not checked within short time, we will see an epidemic of violent crimes,” he feared. Love, affection, trust and respect for each are now gone, observes Shah Akter, teacher of psychology at Kushtia Mirpur Mahmuda Chowdhury Degree College. It had made the criminals desperate, he said. Lawyer Siraj Pramanik said addiction to drugs was one of the leading causes behind social crimes. Humaira Yasmin, student at Kushtia Government College, said it was very alarming that parents killed children over trifling matter and vice versa. “Young generation cannot distinguish between right and wrong due to lack of moral teachings at family and institutional level,” said Medical Representative Babul Ahmed at Khandakbaria village of Kushtia.