Transparency Interna-tional Bangladesh (TIB) on Sunday protested the propaganda spread by a vested quarter terming the attack on the Ghoraghat UNO a mere burglary rather a planned attack.
Calling for judicial investigation into the gruesome attack on the government official, the anti-graft watchdog also demanded exemplary punishment for those responsible for this.
It urged the government to take comprehensive measures to restore confidence and trustworthiness that has grown among all the stakeholders following the assault on the highest civil servant of the local administration.
The Dhaka chapter of the Berlin-based international agency in a statement said several reliable sources including media reports revealed that the attack on Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Wahida Khanam took place mainly due to her rigid stance against irregularities involving khas land usurpation, illegal dredging and running brick kilns without compliance.
Referring to this, TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said the move to identify the incident as merely 'burglary' or 'separate incidence' based on the confession of a suspect is disappointing and a matter of suspicion.
"Our law enforcement agencies have been reaching conclusion at the press conferences ahead of finalising the investigation in recent times," he said, adding that such activities are tantamount to defying the legal procedure rather than proving professional efficacy.
He has also expressed fear that main culprits responsible for the attack may remain untraced due to such malpractices.
"We want an end to malpractices of the investigation agencies who often reach conclusion without adequate justification," he added.
Mr Zaman said such practices paved the way for a vested quarter who brutally assaulted the UNO.
"On one hand, many sensitive incidences in the past were not investigated, on the other the criminals went unpunished that led to form an atmosphere of lawlessness," he said, adding that the recent attack was such an example.
There is no scope to term the attack as a separate incident, he said demanding proper investigation into the attack in an effort to identify the mastermind.
Hailing the female civil servants' role in the local administration, he said the recent attack has posed a threat to creating distrust among the common people about the political parties and the administration.
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