Police abducting businessman

Yet another big stain has spoiled the reputation of police. Seven members of its Detective Branch were recently caught red-handed by army personnel on charge of kidnapping a businessman in Teknaf upazila and were produced before the police in Cox’s Bazaar. They were carrying a bag containing Tk 17 lakh that were given to them as ransom for freeing the abducted person by his family members.

This crime is one of the many examples for which police are not well taken by the public at large. To be precise, people in general do not like the police for these acts and they do not go to them for help in times of need. In fact, the peace loving people avoid them or are afraid of them. Police are given uniform and arms — and power also, by law — by the government to protect the common man to ensure safety of their lives and properties; and they are paid for their job by the taxes of people, yet people here continue to become victims of their predatory nature.

Not long ago, some personnel of RAB including the commanding officers of the elite force were awarded punishment by the High Court for acting as personal hit men, in the sensational seven murders case of Narayanganj. There was also a very brutal example of gang-raping by the police personnel. Crime of taking bribe from an unruly driver on the road is one thing, but crime of abducting a person for ransom, or killing people as personal hit men or raping a woman, is quite another thing.

All crimes committed by police are reprehensible simply because it is their duty to stop crime in society, but crimes of grave nature that happened in Cox’s Bazaar recently cut very deep inside the psyche of people. Who should they go to for help? The people at the helm of police department as well as the government as its controlling authorities must answer this question and in failure to do this, they should relinquish their duty to serve the people.

As happened in the previous cases, there will be investigation into the crime at Cox’s Bazaar’s case and the guilty will be punished duly in the course of law; but the authorities have to seriously think how they can restore the trust of people in the country’s law enforcing agencies. Bangladesh would become a safe haven for criminals, if its law enforcing agencies personnel themselves indulge in serious crimes.   

 

 

Police abducting businessman

Yet another big stain has spoiled the reputation of police. Seven members of its Detective Branch were recently caught red-handed by army personnel on charge of kidnapping a businessman in Teknaf upazila and were produced before the police in Coxs Bazaar. They were carrying a bag containing Tk 17 lakh that were given to them as ransom for freeing the abducted person by his family members. This crime is one of the many examples for which police are not well taken by the public at large. To be precise, people in general do not like the police for these acts and they do not go to them for help in times of need. In fact, the peace loving people avoid them or are afraid of them. Police are given uniform and arms and power also, by law by the government to protect the common man to ensure safety of their lives and properties; and they are paid for their job by the taxes of people, yet people here continue to become victims of their predatory nature. Not long ago, some personnel of RAB including the commanding officers of the elite force were awarded punishment by the High Court for acting as personal hit men, in the sensational seven murders case of Narayanganj. There was also a very brutal example of gang-raping by the police personnel. Crime of taking bribe from an unruly driver on the road is one thing, but crime of abducting a person for ransom, or killing people as personal hit men or raping a woman, is quite another thing. All crimes committed by police are reprehensible simply because it is their duty to stop crime in society, but crimes of grave nature that happened in Coxs Bazaar recently cut very deep inside the psyche of people. Who should they go to for help? The people at the helm of police department as well as the government as its controlling authorities must answer this question and in failure to do this, they should relinquish their duty to serve the people. As happened in the previous cases, there will be investigation into the crime at Coxs Bazaars case and the guilty will be punished duly in the course of law; but the authorities have to seriously think how they can restore the trust of people in the countrys law enforcing agencies. Bangladesh would become a safe haven for criminals, if its law enforcing agencies personnel themselves indulge in serious crimes.