India concerned over security of Manmohan Singh

by Special Correspondent
August 20, 2011

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1672/india-concerned-over-security-of-manmohan-singh

Indian security experts, who arrived in Dhaka [Bangladesh] ahead of September 6, 2011 visit of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, are expressing serious concern over the current state of extremely deteriorated law and order situation in Bangladesh.

According to sources, Special Branch of Bangladesh Police has submitted a confidential intelligence report to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, where it expressed concerns over potential threat of sabotage by Islamist militancy groups like Harkatul Jihad [HUJI], Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbut Tahrir and even ULFA. It may be mentioned here that, Bangladesh intensified offensives on these groups since the Bangladesh Awami League came in power in 2009.

Meanwhile, fearsome information was recently revealed by several sources indicating severe deterioration of the law and order situation in Bangladesh. Crimes such as mugging, extortion, lynching and burglary increased to such a level that the government itself is now worried about the ability of the law enforcing agencies in ensuring required security to the Indian Prime Minister.

Statistics available with the Bangladesh police show that that incident of robbery, killing and kidnapping marked a sharp increased in July compared with the figure the previous month. According to the police statistics, 347 people were killed in July across the country while the figure in June was 336. One hundred and sixty incidents of robbery were reported to the police in July while it was 108 in June.

According to police records, 69 people were abducted or kidnapped during July 2011 while the number was 48 in June. The record also shows that 4,219 people were murdered during 2010 across the country while the number was 3,988 in 2009. During the first seven months in 2011, the number of people murdered in the country had already crossed 2,193. Police record also shows that 870 people were kidnapped in 2010 while the figure was 858 in 2009. During first seven months of 2011, the number has already crossed 533.

Though police has no record of mugging incidents in the country, according to information from a rights group, on an average 150-200 muggings take place only in Dhaka city. In most cases, muggers operate with underhand understanding with police and other law enforcing agencies.

According to local rights groups, the overall law and order had deteriorated as the law enforcement agencies were working for the ruling party instead of ensuring security of the common people. Ain o Salish Kendra executive director, Sultana Kamal, said extortion, mugging, robbery and drug peddling became rampant because of lax security measures.

While law and order situation in Bangladesh is at very alarming level, the current government in Dhaka is also facing extreme adversity. Communications ministry, home ministry, shipping ministry, commerce ministry, home ministry, energy ministry are amongst the most questioned and flopped ministries during the current government. Current government may even witness people's upsurge if it fails to address the communication hazards [which already took lives of a few hundred people], frequent load-shedding in the capital city and the country, exorbitant rise in the price of essentials, collapsed law and order situation as well as no coordination within various ministries and bodies in the government. It is expected that, after the Eid, massive demonstration program may be announced by the political opponents of the ruling party.

Meanwhile, in India, ruling Indian National Congress is under acute pressure following their recent 2G scam, where names of a number of influential ministers as well as important figures in Congress are already getting exposed in the media. It is anticipated that, Anna Hazare, who started mass demonstration against corruption will spread in India and it will ultimately cause in fall of the current government in New Delhi and a mid-term poll soon. Political analysts are even predicting the fall of Congress led government much ahead of the scheduled Dhaka trip of Dr. Manmohan Singh.

On condition of anonymity, a diplomatic source told Weekly Blitz that, visit of Dr. Manmohan Singh on September 6 may be shifted because of extreme security threat as well as current situation the ruling Congress is facing in India. Moreover, the source indicated that, though Dr. Singh will possibly postpone his Dhaka trip, West Bengal chief minister, Mamata Bannerjee may visit Bangladesh in September.

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