Traffickers roaming publicly, police remain silent

Sujauddin Rubel: The identified human traffickers who have operated in different areas of Cox’s Bazar are roaming publicly now, with local sources saying the criminals have reached a compromise with the police to avoid arrest.

The traffickers and their godfathers are being seen roaming in public from Eid day (July 18) but they are not arrested miraculously though several trafficking cases were filed against each of them.

Their names also appear on the list of traffickers drawn up by the Home Ministry. The traffickers remained in hiding for long in different areas but they are recently roaming around freely, causing worry among locals.

Locals claimed a secret deal was reached between the traffickers and police at a recent meeting, under which the criminals had been allowed to move freely without being arrested in exchange for bribes amounting from Tk50,000 to 100,000.

They said the meeting was attended by Ukhia Police Station Officer-in-Charge Zahirul Islam Khan, Inani Police Outpost in-charge Sub-Inspector Premananda, a former union parishad chairman, and three traffickers - Nurul Kabir, Syed Alam and Rustam Ali.     

 
But OC Zahirul Islam Khan denied any such rendezvous, saying the allegation of a secret compromise between police and traffickers is a conspiracy.

“We are regularly carrying out operations to detain traffickers. We will arrest anyone involved in trafficking if we are tipped off,” he said.

risingbd/July 22, 2015/Aminul