Syed Shemul Parvez :
Despite the installation of closed-circuit cameras throughout the area to curb crime and identify criminals, terrorist activities continue to occur almost daily in Khulna city.
According to sources, criminal gangs have become increasingly brazen, operating not only on the main roads of the city but also in its alleyways. There have been numerous incidents of shootings and stabbings, with at least 12 murders including several BNP leaders reported in recent months.
The general public has expressed growing concern over the rising crime rate in Khulna. The Khulna BNP has called for the immediate removal of the officer-in-charge (OC) of all police stations in the city, citing their failure to improve the law and order situation, reported our Khulna city correspondent.
On Friday, a student from Khulna University, Arnab Kumar Sarker, 26, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the city.
The incident occurred around 9:30 pm when Arnab was having tea at the Tentultala crossing in Sonadanga. Witnesses said the assailants arrived on a motorcycle, shot him in the head, and fled the scene. Arnab was rushed to City Medical College Hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead.
When questioned, Sonadanga Police Station OC Md. Shafiqul Islam told The New Nation that no case had been filed regarding the murder by Saturday afternoon. “We are investigating the incident and have already launched operations to arrest the suspects,” he added.
On Thursday (January 23), miscreants attempted to gouge out both eyes of BNP leader Montu Sheikh, 45, in a bid to assert their dominance in the city. The attack occurred in front of Narad’s shop in Malopara, Dakhin Chandani Mahal, Dighlia Upazila.
Montu was rescued and taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital before being transferred to Dhaka for further treatment. On the same day, at 6:30 pm, Ikram Howlader, a central leader of Zia Prajanmo Dal, was injured in a terrorist shooting.
Earlier, on January 20, Manik Howlader, 35, a former leader of Jubo Dal, was stabbed to death by assailants in Khulna. That evening, terrorists also attacked Chhatra Dal activist Naufel with a sharp weapon on Commerce College Madhya Road, and another young man, Sajeeb Sikder, was seriously injured in a separate sharp weapon attack.
On January 18, a group of masked terrorists attempted to shoot and kill BNP leader Shaheen, 40, in front of the Rasulbagh Mosque in Mistripara. Earlier, on January 9, a planned attack on Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Ward No. 4 councillor Golam Rabbani Tipu was foiled in Cox’s Bazar.
In December, there were multiple incidents of gunshot wounds and stabbings, including attacks on Akash and Reza Sheikh, as well as an indiscriminate shooting spree in the Nirala area.
Khulna Metropolitan Police Commissioner Zulfiqar Ali Haider told The New Nation that the rise in terrorism is linked to the broader unrest in the country and the time required for the police to restore order.
He noted that the police have taken several measures to combat the issue, including compiling a list of 12 top terrorists, offering rewards for their capture, and announcing the arrest of four of them. The operation to apprehend the remaining suspects is ongoing.
It is also noteworthy that several terrorists who were imprisoned after August 5 have resumed their activities following their release on bail, some operating openly while others remain behind bars or are stirring unrest from abroad. These individuals have made their presence felt through various violent incidents.
