With Eid ul-Fitr festival ahead, a section of crooked lawmen are desperate to earn extras in the name of searching public transport, mostly CNG-run autos and slow-moving rickshaws and frisking passengers in many parts of capital. Scores of inmates of such motor vehicles and rickshaws have already fallen victim to harassment and extortion by the dishonest policemen. The latest case of widespread
extortions was businessman Sujan. On July 12, Sub-inspector Zahid of Mirpur police station picked up Sujan and his wife from Shankar area as he failed to realise bribe from them. Zahid tortured the trader brutally, leaving him dead. As punishment, the boy in blue was suspended. Against this backdrop, many alleged that some city areas have turned out to be panic spots for city commuters as a section of dishonest police officers are involved in bribery in the name of conducting search. Sayedabad, Maniknagar, Golapbagh Biswa Road, Mugda, Kazla, Shanirakhra, Rayerbagh, Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Gulistan and greater Mirpur areas have reportedly been hotbeds of crimes. Several sub-inspectors and police sergeants with the help of constables and their sources have long been carrying out misdeeds in the areas. Locals said police start carrying out so-called spot checks from early morning till midnight. “Drivers and passengers of rickshaws, taxicabs and CNG-run autos are their key targets.” Unscrupulous policemen on various pleas stop vehicles, search passengers and pick them up, they said as the general public in the areas fear policemen more than criminals or muggers. The lawmen even hold many people in custody as they fail to fulfil their demands but later release them after taking bribes through negotiations. They also seize passengers’ valuables only to be freed in exchange for money, it is alleged. Bribe trade by lawmen from commuters on roads are a regular phenomenon, alleged Abdul Sattar, owner of a saloon located at Golapbagh. In some cases, unscrupulous lawmen took some suspects to a hideout and later set them free after taking money to diverting public attention. Shahida Begum, owner of a roadside tea stall at Golapbagh, said patrol police from Jatrabari extort drivers and passengers of rickshaws and CNG auto-rickshaws plying Sayedabad-Maniknagar route every noon just outside Monwara Hospital or Raj Furniture. Hajji Shahjahan, a local trader, alleged that police sergeants are responsible for creating congestion on Sayedabad-Jatrabari and Sayedabad-Badda roads as they realise toll stopping running buses and trucks on the busy roads. Garment worker Monir along with his three colleagues was going to their Shanirakhra residence on foot from their workstation on Monday night. As they reached at Baspatti, opposite Dania College, a patrol team challenged them and then frisked their bodies. The police took away Tk 200 from Monir and Tk 500 from his colleagues and released them. Amanullah, a Maniknagar resident, said patrol police are the name of panic on the local road. Police usually realise money from commuters with intimidation of implicating them in various cases. When asked about the matter, DMP Deputy Commissioner (media) Monirul Islam said stern action would be taken against those policemen if found guilty.
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