The shadowy world of the assassin

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EVERY now and then we read about the murder of individuals by criminals. These are contract killings, that is, someone has paid for the murder of a fellow citizen. Or, a person has refused extortionists before he or she that matter was hit by the henchmen of the extortionist.
With the advent of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), for the first time in the history of this country, organised crime was dealt a lethal blow and hardcore criminals, including those either in the garb of public figures or under the protection of the political parties, were on the run. Even the corrupt law enforcement agencies had to sit up and take notice. There are allegations that they too protected such offenders.
We know for a fact that many leaders in the various wards in the large cities or even at the upazila or union level were blackguards. These knaves were seemingly immune to the law. The impunity with which they carried out their dastardly deeds appeared in the newspapers from time to time. But nothing happened to these people. But, when the RAB arrived on the scene the situation changed.
However, as the criminality in this land did not arrive in a single day, so cleaning it up would surely take time. But what about the contract killings, the murders of citizens who refused to oblige to the extortionists' demand. Even though the incidence of this crime has come down to some extent, it has not disappeared completely. And most of the times, we are told, a person gives in to the extortionist's demand out of fear. The worst part is that the main extortionists are quietly sitting, across the border in India, knowing well that the Indian authorities would do next to nothing about it. And their cohorts, the assassins in our country do what their masters on the otherside ask them to do. It is this shadowy world that the law enforcers have to penetrate, be it the RAB or the police. Surely we have competent people in our intelligence community, who can, given the chance, get at these killers.
Shaheen
Hatirpool
Dhaka.