Target killings, attacks on minorities
PM alerts home ministry
Home ministry asks law enforcement agencies to take extra security measures
DEEPAK ACHARJEE
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed the home ministry to be on alert to preclude any untoward incidents like target killings, sabotage, and attacks on the minorities and their houses by vested quarters, especially militant groups, said sources in the home ministry.
The Premier has also asked the home ministry to keep a high alert and take necessary security measures to thwart the vested quarters and ensure they cannot create any unstable situation in the country following the ongoing trial of the criminals who committed crimes against humanity during the countrys Liberation War in 1971. The PMs instructions were recently sent to the home ministry through a letter, the sources added.
The Premier issued the instructions at a time when there has been a spurt in criminal activities like political killings and attacks on people of the minorities in some areas during the last few months.
On receiving the instructions, the home ministry has asked the authorities, especially the law enforcement agencies, to take extra security measures to preclude any incident, the sources added.
Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told The Independent that law enforcement agencies are always on alert to preclude possible terror attacks.
We dont have to issue any directives in this respect because we are watching the situation constantly, he said.
The home minister, however, said the killing of ruling party lawmaker Manjurul Islam Liton was not the subject of a target killing.
Following instructions from the top brass, officers of law enforcement and intelligence agencies, including superintendents of police (SPs), were enhancing vigilance on local leaders and activists of the Jamaat-Shibir, who are engaged in a conspiracy to destabilise the country, as well as suspected militants, to preclude any untoward incident.
Law enforcement and intelligence agencies have started collecting the names of the members of militant groups and their mentors to curb their activities with a view to keep the country free of target killings and militant activities.
At the same time, the law enforcement agencies are meeting the heads of educational institutions to alert them so that students do not fall prey to militant propaganda, particularly on the internet.
A number of attacks has been carried out by different terror groups, especially militant groups and other vested quarters, in different parts of the country, including in Dhaka, which have claimed over 20 lives, including those of secular writers and bloggers, university professors, members of religious minorities and foreigners last year.
Along with other terror attacks, attacks on Hindu houses and temples in Nasirnagar (Brahmanbaria) and elsewhere in Gopalganj, Chittagong, Sunamganj, Rajshahi and Madaripur districts in the country have destroyed dozens of Hindu temples and houses.
Locals said the vested quarters and some local political leaders were involved in such attacks in order to grab Hindu properties, but the authorities were yet to complete the trials of the cases.
At least 42 incidents have occurred in which the JMB, Ansarullah Bangla Team and other militant groups were involved. The police have arrested over 150 militants belonging to different outfits and have filed 40 cases.
