More than 600 members of different extremist organizations in the country's 15 northern and southern districts—including Pabna—have decided to surrender to the authorities in a bid to return to normal life.
They will surrender themselves—and their firearms plus locally-made weapons—to the authorities, in the presence of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Javed Patwary. The event will take place at Shaheed Advocate Aminuddin Stadium, in Pabna, on Tuesday.
Confirming the matter, Pabna Superintendent of Police (SP) Sheikh Rafiqul Islam said the massive surrender is possible because the government has taken the initiative to help these individuals return to a normal life.
According to police sources, the listed and fugitive extremist members—from the Pabna, Natore, Sirajganj, Bogra, Rangpur, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Tangail, Kushtia, Rajbari, Khulna, Satkhira, Faridpur, Bagerhat and Jessore districts—will surrender to law enforcement. Upon their surrender, the government will rehabilitate them with financial incentives.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Sheikh Rafiqul Islam told reporters: "Despite country-wide drives by law enforcement agencies, various extremist organizations—including Purba Banglar Communist Party, Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party, and Purba Banglar Lal Pataka—are still active in different parts of Bangladesh."
"Those who are willing to surrender will be brought to Pabna from their respective districts amid tight security on April 8. Security will also be beefed-up in Pabna for centering the surrender program. Around 500 members from different law enforcement agencies, including RAB and the Police, will participate," he said.
SP Rafiq, who is also the coordinator of the surrender program, said: "The mass surrender will reduce the crime rate significantly. Police will also conduct special surveillance operations on whether these men get involved in criminal activities again. However, the trial of cases filed against the extremist members will continue."
On the other hand, Md Shamsul Hoque Tuku MP, president of the parliamentary standing committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs and also former state minister for home affairs, also spoke about the surrender program at the Pabna press club on Sunday at noon.
He said: "The government will assist anyone who wants to come back from the life of terrorism and militancy. However, no one will be spared if involved in wrongdoing or criminal activities."
It is to be noted that more than 400 extremist members in the country's southwestern districts surrendered to then-Home Minister Mohammad Nasim in 1999. The surrendered men were later appointed to Bangladesh Ansar, a paramilitary auxiliary force.
