Law and order-a priority task for government
Shamsul Huq Zahid | Monday, 26 May 2008
The law and order situation has been deteriorating at a rapid pace across the country, particularly in Dhaka city and its adjoining areas.
The extremist political elements who are engaged more in extortion and robberies than preaching their Marxist ideology have again raised their heads in some northern and south-western districts. Besides, incidents of murder, robberies and other crimes have increased manifold in the last few months notwithstanding the claim by the persons in authority that the law and order situation is better than any time before.
The sudden rise in criminal activities in the capital city and its adjoining areas, that too under emergency rule, should be a cause of concern for the adviser in-charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the inspector general of police and the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. During last couple of weeks at least a dozen of people were murdered in Dhaka. Some of them were beaten to death by the mob for their alleged involvement in mugging and robbery.
The most serious crime was committed in Gazipur four days back. A group of criminals attacked the police, who were reportedly on regular patrol, injured some of them seriously and decamped with a shotgun.
Besides, other crimes such as mugging, drug peddling, rape and abduction of people for realizing ransom have been on the rise. The incidents of car lifting and operations by the infamous 'Aggayan' and 'Malam' parties have been going on unabated. Some areas and roads of the city infamous for frequent operations by muggers became safe for pedestrians soon after the proclamation of emergency. But those areas have turned unsafe again and the people who are aware of the danger are avoiding those after dusk.
The drug peddlers are openly selling their products in the city. The retail drug outlets that went out of operation soon after the proclamation of emergency are open again and are doing brisk business.
Why should there be a marked deterioration in the law and order situation when the government is trying to reach its main objective--- holding general election by December next and transfer power to a democratically elected government? The people expected the opposite to happen because maintenance of a peaceful atmosphere is a must for holding a credible, free and fair election.
Actually, the seriousness that was very much visible on the part of the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the members of the joint-forces to nab the criminals in the initial months of the present army-backed caretaker administration is very much missing these days. Very rarely are seen the vehicles carrying the members of the RAB and those of the joint forces patrolling the city streets. The police, too, are demonstrating their usual lack of enthusiasm in maintenance of proper law and order.
There is no denying that the size of the population of Dhaka city has grown manifold over the years. Nearly one-tenth of the country's population is living in just a few hundred square kilometer area. However, the number of police stations and outposts has gone up in recent years. But the number of police personnel is still insufficient compared to the size of the population of the city. Though it is hard to say that any increase in the number of police personnel would contribute to the improvement of the law and order situation, there is an urgent need to increase the numerical strength of the police force. It is equally important to remove the factors that have so far de-motivated the police from doing the job that they are supposed to do with utmost sincerity. "The police actually can do the impossible only if they mean business" - is the general perception of the people about police. The police can make the life of the criminals difficult in a matter of days if they are serious about carrying out their business. Unfortunately, the police do very rarely demonstrate their strong resolve to deal with crime and criminals. Under such circumstances, the government, at times, is forced to come up with ideas of raising special agencies to deal with law and order situation. The elite Rapid Action Battalion-RAB-is a case in point.
Notwithstanding the allegations made against it by a section of the media and members of the so-called civil society, the role of the RAB in combating crime and criminals has always been appreciated by the wider section of the population. There might have been a few excesses on the part of the RAB but the fact remains that it could instill a sense of relief and security in the society by its decisive actions against notorious and hardened criminals.
But for unexplained reasons, the RAB, apparently, is no more active as it was before. It has cut down its routine patrolling of areas under its jurisdiction and also number of raids to nab criminals of all sorts.
Many tend to believe that the reduced action on the part of the RAB has helped the criminals to raise their heads again. It is high time for the government to ask the RAB to engage itself in its previous role for which it is dreaded most.
Unemployment and illiteracy are two factors having direct relevance to the law and order situation of a country. But those factors cannot be removed or the problems associated with those solved within a short time. It would take years or even decades to do so only if some people at the helm of the affairs of the state decide to exercise wisdom and work with utmost honesty and sincerity to help the nation resolve the problems of unemployment and illiteracy as far as practicable. Those are distant goals. In the meantime, there must be immediate steps to make the life and living of the citizens peaceful and easy.
The people are having a tough time as far as their costs of living are concerned. The deteriorating law and order situation would only add to their worries. So, the government, no matter how busy it is with its avowed goal of holding national elections or punishing the corrupt elements, needs to look at the issue of law and order seriously and take necessary actions without further delay.
....................................
[email protected]
The extremist political elements who are engaged more in extortion and robberies than preaching their Marxist ideology have again raised their heads in some northern and south-western districts. Besides, incidents of murder, robberies and other crimes have increased manifold in the last few months notwithstanding the claim by the persons in authority that the law and order situation is better than any time before.
The sudden rise in criminal activities in the capital city and its adjoining areas, that too under emergency rule, should be a cause of concern for the adviser in-charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the inspector general of police and the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. During last couple of weeks at least a dozen of people were murdered in Dhaka. Some of them were beaten to death by the mob for their alleged involvement in mugging and robbery.
The most serious crime was committed in Gazipur four days back. A group of criminals attacked the police, who were reportedly on regular patrol, injured some of them seriously and decamped with a shotgun.
Besides, other crimes such as mugging, drug peddling, rape and abduction of people for realizing ransom have been on the rise. The incidents of car lifting and operations by the infamous 'Aggayan' and 'Malam' parties have been going on unabated. Some areas and roads of the city infamous for frequent operations by muggers became safe for pedestrians soon after the proclamation of emergency. But those areas have turned unsafe again and the people who are aware of the danger are avoiding those after dusk.
The drug peddlers are openly selling their products in the city. The retail drug outlets that went out of operation soon after the proclamation of emergency are open again and are doing brisk business.
Why should there be a marked deterioration in the law and order situation when the government is trying to reach its main objective--- holding general election by December next and transfer power to a democratically elected government? The people expected the opposite to happen because maintenance of a peaceful atmosphere is a must for holding a credible, free and fair election.
Actually, the seriousness that was very much visible on the part of the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the members of the joint-forces to nab the criminals in the initial months of the present army-backed caretaker administration is very much missing these days. Very rarely are seen the vehicles carrying the members of the RAB and those of the joint forces patrolling the city streets. The police, too, are demonstrating their usual lack of enthusiasm in maintenance of proper law and order.
There is no denying that the size of the population of Dhaka city has grown manifold over the years. Nearly one-tenth of the country's population is living in just a few hundred square kilometer area. However, the number of police stations and outposts has gone up in recent years. But the number of police personnel is still insufficient compared to the size of the population of the city. Though it is hard to say that any increase in the number of police personnel would contribute to the improvement of the law and order situation, there is an urgent need to increase the numerical strength of the police force. It is equally important to remove the factors that have so far de-motivated the police from doing the job that they are supposed to do with utmost sincerity. "The police actually can do the impossible only if they mean business" - is the general perception of the people about police. The police can make the life of the criminals difficult in a matter of days if they are serious about carrying out their business. Unfortunately, the police do very rarely demonstrate their strong resolve to deal with crime and criminals. Under such circumstances, the government, at times, is forced to come up with ideas of raising special agencies to deal with law and order situation. The elite Rapid Action Battalion-RAB-is a case in point.
Notwithstanding the allegations made against it by a section of the media and members of the so-called civil society, the role of the RAB in combating crime and criminals has always been appreciated by the wider section of the population. There might have been a few excesses on the part of the RAB but the fact remains that it could instill a sense of relief and security in the society by its decisive actions against notorious and hardened criminals.
But for unexplained reasons, the RAB, apparently, is no more active as it was before. It has cut down its routine patrolling of areas under its jurisdiction and also number of raids to nab criminals of all sorts.
Many tend to believe that the reduced action on the part of the RAB has helped the criminals to raise their heads again. It is high time for the government to ask the RAB to engage itself in its previous role for which it is dreaded most.
Unemployment and illiteracy are two factors having direct relevance to the law and order situation of a country. But those factors cannot be removed or the problems associated with those solved within a short time. It would take years or even decades to do so only if some people at the helm of the affairs of the state decide to exercise wisdom and work with utmost honesty and sincerity to help the nation resolve the problems of unemployment and illiteracy as far as practicable. Those are distant goals. In the meantime, there must be immediate steps to make the life and living of the citizens peaceful and easy.
The people are having a tough time as far as their costs of living are concerned. The deteriorating law and order situation would only add to their worries. So, the government, no matter how busy it is with its avowed goal of holding national elections or punishing the corrupt elements, needs to look at the issue of law and order seriously and take necessary actions without further delay.
....................................
[email protected]