Several outlawed parties in the country's southwestern region are recruiting fresh 'cadres' in an attempt to reorganise themselves and increase their strength ahead of the next parliamentary election. And after recruitment, the outlaws are pushing these cadres into different political parties to work with them for the upcoming polls and camouflage their real identity to escape 'crossfire' deaths.Besides, top leaders of these outfits are also maintaining close contacts with some top political leaders of the region, including lawmakers, who earlier used the outlaws' strength to manipulate different elections particularly parliamentary polls. Sources including those close to the outlawed parties said the outfits are taking to such tactics in the context of 'crossfire' killings of many of their cadres, changing situation of underground politics in the country and their planned role in the next general election. The outfits are three factions of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) --PBCP-Janajuddho, PBCP-Red Flag and PBCP-Communist Juddho -- Gono Mukti Fouz (GMF), Gono Bahini (GB) and New Biplobi Communist Party (NBCP).
| I dunno why, but I've got a soft spot for the New Biplobi Communist Party. |
The outlaws are distributing leaflets at different places in several districts calling upon people to come under their banners to uproot the present capitalist society and build a "socialist people's state". The PBCP-Janajuddho recently distributed leaflets in Bamundi, Kazipur and Khoksa areas in Meherpur district and Sahebnagar, Bhogailbagdi and Alamdanga of Chuadanga. Earlier in August, the outlaws distributed leaflets in Alukdia, Kalpara and Kodalia village in sadar upazila of Jhenidah district, Amla, Chitolia and Mirpur in Kushtia and some areas of Narail. They also held several meetings in these areas escaping the eyes of law enforcers. At these meetings, the outlawed parties advised their cadres to join hands with leaders of different political parties, mainly the ruling alliance, so that they can get their (leaders) help when needed, specially to evade 'crossfire' after arrest.
This correspondent saw several cadres of outlawed parties who are working with political parties, particularly the ruling alliance. Taizal Hossain, a top terror of Kushtia and an accused in at least 20 cases including that for murders, is working with Jamaat in Mirpur upazila in the district. He is under the control of local Jamaat leader Abdul Gafur.
| Another top cadre of outlawed Biplobi Communist Party (BCP) -- Akbar, alias "Killer Akbar" -- is working with the BNP in Bheramara upazila in Kushtia. A relative of the local ruling party lawmaker controls his activities. |
Many other cadres such as Ainal of Uzangram, Rahman, Arif and Masud of Hatiaabdalpur, Niza, and Sabbir of Jhoudia in Sadar upazila of Kushtia are working for the AL. All were cadres of the GB. A local AL leader and a teacher of Islamic University (IU) are reportedly controlling these elements.
A number of cadres of the PBCP-Red Flag are now working with a ruling alliance lawmaker of Meherpur. The lawmaker's brother, who is a lawyer by profession, is in control of these cadres. The chief of the outlawed party has close ties with the lawmaker, sources said. A good number of cadres of outlawed Banglar Communist Party (BCP-Laltu) have reportedly joined both the ruling and opposition parties in Chuadanga. And they are now attending different political programmes of these parties.
Use of outlaws during any election in the southwestern region is a practice going on for years. Even law enforcers admitted this on different occasions. “Outlawed parties are traditionally used in vote rigging in this region,” said a senior police official who is posted in the region for several years. “A number of godfathers of outlaws and other gang members are political leaders belonging to major parties,” the official told this correspondent over phone, seeking anonymity.
| The list containing 133 hardcore criminals belonging to outlawed parties and their 27 'political godfathers' was sent to the higher authorities. Of the 133 listed criminals, 62 were killed in 'crossfire'. None of the 'godfathers' has been arrested as yet... |
Chuadanga police on October 24 last year announced bounties on 20 'top outlaws'. But it proved futile. Only three of them were arrested but they were caught in 'crossfire' when police took them out to recover their hidden firearms. Police records say 345 people were killed in 'crossfire' in 10 districts in the region since June 2004. Among them, 158 people were killed during June - December 2004, 108 last year and the remaining ones this year.
The outlawed parties are now facing a manpower crisis due to killing of many of their cadres in 'crossfire'. The PBCP-Janajuddho has lost the largest number of cadres in the last two years. To meet this crisis, they are now recruiting fresh cadres, sources mentioned. At least 13 outlawed parties are active in the region and about 1,000 illegal firearms are under their possession. The parties are four factions of the PBCP including PBCP-ML, Biplobi Communist Party (BCP), the NBCP, BCP-Laltu, the GMF, the GB, Socialist Party (SP), Biplobi Anuragi, Chhinnomul Communist Party (CCP) and Sarbahara People's Manch (SPM).