 In which the Dhaka beat cops and the intel guys have a Jan Brady moment...
Personnel of the police department and intelligence agencies are feeling very frustrated because of the ‘concealment’ of their success stories in combating terrorism, especially Islamist militancy, in order to ‘glorify’ the Rapid Action Battalion.| Prediction: The Bangla ship of state is about to spring so many leaks, you could use it for a colander. |
Sources in the police and intelligence agencies claimed that the higher authorities, by undermining their successes, were out to establish RAB as a ‘very competent’ force, which has caused great discontent in their rank and file. | Hmmm. The rank and file is suddenly finding itself feeling greatly discontented. Aren't they usually too busy to seethe? Unless someone higher up, you know, keeps pointing out to them how discontented they ought to be feeling. Someone with a grudge, perhaps. |
They said that the frustration began in the early stage of formation of the RAB in 2004 over fixing the ranks of army and police officials incorporated in the force, in which the army always got preference. Despite lucrative advantages, some senior police officers managed to keep out of the RAB while many lobbied for not being included, assuming that they would be put under army personnel of lower rank than theirs.| Hehe. They chose unwisely and get to watch RAB busting heads and getting all the glory. |
Their previous experience of working alongside the army, especially during the army-led Operation Clean Heart in 2004, left a bad taste in their mouths. Relations between police and army took a bad turn over the death of 44 persons who, the army claimed, had died of heart attack during interrogation. The frustration was fuelled further when the mid-level and field-level officials of the intelligence agencies felt that their achievements were not being given due recognition. They said their efforts had led to the capture of many important miscreants and recovery of a large number of arms and ammunition, but those were kept secret and credit rightfully belonging to them was given to RAB.| The leaks get more ominous. Allegtions of deaths in custody and illegal procedures being followed. All breathlessly reported by Bangla media. It's almost like the leakers are following...a script. |
In combating militancy and other crucial tasks, the RAB has been given authority over the police and intelligence agencies, which has acutely displeased the latter, said police officials. They said the growing frustration of the police intensified after the arrest of JMB’s military head, Ataur Rahman Sunny. Though RAB played no role in Sunny’s arrest, it was given full credit of it.‘It was a team of intelligence personnel who arrested Sunny from the Latif Hall of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute in Tejgaon,’ an intelligence official, who was part of the team, told New Age. He claimed Sunny was under their custody for hours before authorities asked them to hand him over to RAB. ‘This constant non-recognition and undermining of our success is psychologically damaging and belittles our image,’ a police official, posted in the Police Headquarters, said regretfully. He said police and the intelligence agencies played the leading role in other successes but in each case RAB was given the credit. ‘If this goes on it will have a boomerang affect on the ruling alliance,’ he said.| Crikey! A anonymous threat! |
Citing a number of examples in which police successes were kept secret, a senior police official of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police said that the police either raided or helped RAB to raid militant dens and seize arms and explosives in Dhaka and elsewhere. A superintendent of police in Rajshahi division said the government might get prompt results from the RAB, but they should know that they are mainly dependent on the police for maintaining law and order in the country.| Oooo...I think that's another threat. Thinly veiled, of course. |
The growing frustration has made many police and intelligence officials reluctant to put in full effort or go out of their way to do their duty, which has weakened the current anti-militant drive, observed the SP who came to Dhaka to attend Police Week. A police officer who was awarded a cash amount by prime minister Khaleda Zia in the inaugural ceremony of the Police Week on Wednesday told New Age that everyone should get due recognition for his or her achievement. In the delicate balance that is Bangla politix, it may very well be that the gov't needs a high profile team to be the face of their anti-terror policies, while the intel and cops do the heavy lifting safely away from the prying eyes of the press. (Though RAB *does* seem to crossfire many more commies than jihadis.) It may be equally as possible that these complaints are legit and that the RAB is an agency hopelessly out of control, a private plaything of the sinister puppetmasters, dispensing its own justice and subject to no laws whatsoever.
In either case, the pasta is ready; I need to drain it and slap on some sauce. Can you hand me that colander? |
| Wouldja like a nice red whine with that pasta? |
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