May 8 : Crimes are increasing alarmingly in the 10 districts of the south-western region of the country.

The crimes that are being committed in the region are murder, robbery, theft, abduction, rape, murder after rape, extortion and mugging.

At least 57 people were killed in the region in the month of April alone.

It may be mentioned here that, of the total murders, 10 terrorists and extremists were beaten to death in broad day-light by the agitated mob. The other victims included public representatives, businessmen, ordinary people and housewives. No report of murder was, however, available from Meherpur district in the month. But other crimes were committed there.

It is learnt from the police sources and reports published in newspapers that five people were killed Jessore district in April. At least 14 murders were committed in Khulna, 10 in Bagerhat, nine in Chuadanga, seven in Kushtia, three each in Jhenidah, Magura and Narail and one person was killed in Satkhira during the 30 days of April.

Subhas Chandra, a local Awami League worker of Beradi village in Jhenidah district, was slaughtered on April 2 and a young girl (16) of Kalia upazila in Narail district was killed after rape the same day.

Fish trader Atiqul Islam of PC Dema village of Bagerhat district was shot dead on April 3. The Awami League leader Matiar Rahman Nantu of Kayed Para village in Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga district was chopped and slaughtered to death on April 5.

Police Habildar Akram Hossain was killed in a bomb attack at Power House road crossing in Khulna on April 10. Abdul Bari Khan of Hakimpur village in Chowgachha upazila of Jessore district was killed by his son the same day. Aktar Sikder, son of an Awami League leader of Terokhada upazila of Khulna district and Purba Banglar Communist Party cadre Prodip of Rupsha were killed on April 15. Labour leader Mohammad Ali of Jessore town was killed by his wife the same day.

Three extremist leaders of Khulna were beaten to death on April 16. Samad Sheikh, a leader of a band of robbers, was killed in a gunfight with the police in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia district the same day. Mukul, a top terrorist of Kushtia, was shot dead on April 21. Three persons were killed on April 23 in Chuadanga and Kushtia districts. Taru, an accused in 11 murder cases in Dumuria area of Khulna district, was beaten to death on the same day. A police source and a housewife were killed in Damurhuda upazila of Chuadanga district.

Besides, over 100 incidents of robbery, mugging and hooliganism occurred in the 10 districts in April and about 50 girls, women and female children fell prey to rapists during the period.

It is alleged that the ongoing operation of the joint forces in the 10 districts failed to bring any fruitful result. The joint forces seized a number of vehicles of different categories to conduct raids in the extremist-infested districts. But they kept their operations confined in patrolling on roads and highways only. They refrained from raiding remote villages. Some officers used the luxurious seized vehicles to visit their respective near and dear ones living far away from the operation places, it is alleged by the drivers of those vehicles.

Tragic
To rehearse how notorious killer Ershad Sikdar would be hanged a schoolgirl really hanged herself to death and her another playmate, her cousin, was seriously wounded due to the same practice.

The heart-rending tragedy occurred at village Shikhhati on the outskirts of Jessore town, on the night of April 29.

It is learnt from the near and dear ones of the victims that Taslima Khatun (13) alias Tasli, daughter of Abul Hashem, and Rina, daughter of Moshiar Rahman of the village had read the news about preparation of hanging of Ershad Sikdar in a newspaper. They started practicing hanging by a rope of the cradle hanging it from the ceiling fan.

At one stage they wrapped the rope round their necks and jumped from the cradle. The knot of the rope became tight round the neck of Tasli and she died.

While the knot of the rope round the neck of Rina became tight with her chin instead of her neck. The seriously wounded Rina was rescued by the inmates.