Sylhet Bureau

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman said, those who committed murders and disappearances in the country should be tried in such a way that the nation is free from stigma. We do not want to take the law into our own hands. He demanded that genocide be tried under the existing law.

He said these as the chief guest in the district Jamaat workers' conference at the Sunamganj Government Jubilee High School grounds at 10 am on Saturday.

Stating that a country free from bribery and corruption should be built, Jamaat's leaders and activists do not loot any water palaces or sand palaces, do not extort, do not trade bribes or lawsuits. If someone commits a crime, hand him over to the law. After August 5, a group extorted money, occupied the market, and stands. They looted sand, they looted water palaces. We do not want such a society. We want to build a new Bangladesh. Where there will be no discrimination. We want to give the gift of a humane Bangladesh.

Our leaders and activists have been guarding as volunteers for 15 days straight since August 5. We have tried to ensure security for people of all religions. The last oppressive government has prepared a list of 10,000 Razakars. 80 percent of the people on that list were from the Awami League.

The fascist government has sealed the offices of Jamaat, canceled the party's registration. Most recently, they have banned our party. They have evicted hundreds of leaders and activists from their homes. They have killed and disappeared. They have unjustly hanged top leaders of Jamaat.

Claiming that Jamaat has never extorted money, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said, "We are telling you that we have never extorted money in the past. We are not doing it now. We will not do it in the future either. If Allah gives us the opportunity to run our country, we will not allow anyone to extort money. We do not engage in encroachment, and no one will be allowed to engage in encroachment in the future."

We have mortgaged our stomachs to other countries. God knows whether we have mortgaged our heads as well. When the country's talented people leave the country for studies, they never return. But even two to two and a half hundred years ago, the Mughals, the British, and the Portuguese would have attacked our country to make a fortune. Our country's leaders say that the party is bigger than the country. But no, we see that the individual is bigger than the party.

It is not possible to bring about a radical change in the country through those who do politics of deceit. Have you seen a Supreme Court judge sleeping on a banana leaf? This is the result of that. He abused his power while in power.

Sunamganj District Jamaat Ameer Maulana Tofail Ahmed presided over the conference. Jamaat-e-Islami's Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, Jamaat-e-Islami Dhaka Metropolitan North Ameer Muhammad Selim Uddin, Jamaat-e-Islami's Sylhet Metropolitan Ameer Fakhrul Islam, Jamaat-e-Islami's Sylhet District Ameer Maulana Habibur Rahman, former Central General Secretary of Chhatra Shibir Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, Sunamganj District Jamaat Nayeb-e-Ameer Advocate Shamsuddin, Momtazul Hasan Abed, and others spoke as special guests.

Crimes up in Sylhet, people worried

Recently, theft, robbery, and encroachment have increased in Sylhet. Murders are being committed in broad daylight over trivial incidents. In this situation, public fear prevails. Since the change of government, new groups have emerged in different areas of the city. Criminals have become active. Extortion and encroachment incidents are taking place in the names of various political leaders. Investigations have revealed that more than 25 incidents have occurred in Sylhet city and the entire division in January alone.

Most recently, on Friday, there was a massive clash between the two sides over the encroachment of government land in the Sagardighirpar area of Sylhet city, and arson occurred in vehicles. Several hand grenades were detonated during this. At least 10 people, including the police, were injured in this.

Local sources said that for several years, a private organization from Dhaka named STS Group had been occupying government land adjacent to the Matsya Bhaban in Sagardighirpar, Sylhet. The encroachers were involved in Awami League politics. However, after the change of ownership on August 5, local volunteer party leaders Jamal Ahmed Khan and Lallik Chowdhury took over the place and started constructing a building named 'Dream City'. This led to clashes between the locals and the followers of the volunteer party leader. Later, the police came and took control of the situation.

Locals alleged that a few days ago, former central organizing secretary of the Awami League, Advocate Misbah Uddin Siraj, was kidnapped and taken to that place and tortured. In addition, a woman was gang-raped at the same place. Police later arrested two people in this incident.

Meanwhile, the police claim that they are actively working to curb crime. Regular patrols continue. Crime experts say, 'After the July Revolution, the police are going through a special situation. Many hardened criminals have come out of prison. They are designing new crimes. They are trying to take advantage of the security lapses.' According to them, the law enforcement agencies are moving slowly to control crime. In such a situation, they called for protesting against crime and standing by the victims.

An analysis of some of the notable incidents that have occurred recently has shown that in the first month of this year (until January 25), more than 20 cases of murder, rape, killing, fights, theft, kidnapping, suicide and mysterious deaths have occurred in Sylhet division. However, those concerned claim that if the unreported incidents in the media are counted, this number will increase.

The victims say that after the change in the political landscape, the law and order situation in the country has not yet normalized. The police have not woken up like before. Criminal gangs have taken advantage of this opportunity. New terrorist groups have been formed in some areas.

Earlier, on Wednesday night, a group of robbers blocked vehicles by throwing trees at a place called Darakhai on the Sunamganj-Jagannathpur-Dhaka regional highway. Several passengers were injured in the attack by the robbers. During this time, the robbers took away some of the passengers' belongings. On the same day, a father hacked his daughter to death with a machete in Ghanshyampur village of Madhabpur, Habiganj. Madhabpur's Kasimnagar police outpost in-charge Nur Mohammad said that Moin Uddin's daughter Ranu used to talk excessively on her mobile phone. Moin Uddin had been forbidding her from talking on the phone. On the day of the incident, he saw his daughter talking on the phone in the afternoon and disciplined her. At one point, Ranu got angry and got into an argument with her father. At that time, he hit Ranu on the neck with a sharp machete in anger. Ranu died on the spot. On the same day, one person was killed in a clash between two groups over dominance in Kalni village of Sadar upazila of Habiganj. 15 others were injured in the incident. The deceased, Kazi Dipu (40), is the son of Abdul Matin of that village.

On January 19, miscreants hacked to death a youth leader named Noman Ahmed (35) with a knife in Badda Bazar of Barolekhar in Moulvibazar. The deceased Noman is the son of Lechu Mia of Ranginagar village of Sujanagar union of the upazila. On January 12, police recovered the bloody body of a young man named Monir Hossain (30), whose nose and ears were cut off, from the boro land of Ukargaon village of Shimulbank union in Shantiganj, Sunamganj. Shantiganj Police Station OC Md. Akram Ali said that three people, including the wife of the deceased, have been detained for questioning in this incident. Work is underway to unravel the mystery.

On January 21, a clash broke out between people of Tukergaon and Nayaganger Par villages in Bou Bazar of Companiganj in Sylhet over selling fish. At least 20 people were injured in this.

Meanwhile, the Sylhet Metropolitan Police has conducted a series of operations to control the law and order situation in Sylhet metropolis. At least 34 people have been arrested in theft, robbery, smuggling, residential hotel raids, and anti-drug operations.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police said that on January 21, Kotwali Police arrested four members of a CNG autorickshaw robbery gang in separate operations in Mirabazar and Pathantula areas of the metropolis. Two CNG-powered autorickshaws were seized. On the same day, Dakshin Surma Police arrested three members of a CNG-powered autorickshaw theft gang in separate operations in Sobhani Ghat and Shahjala suburbs.

SMP spokesperson and ADC Mohammad Saiful Islam said, "Law enforcement patrols and check posts have been increased to control crime. Strict instructions have been given to each unit for the law and order situation and the safety of people's lives and property. Mobile teams are also working through motorcycles. Vigilance has been increased at check posts on roads and highways. In addition, raids are being carried out in crime-prone areas and to identify criminals.