The apparent change to tomorrow's programme came from a meeting at the office of the deputy inspector general (DIG) of police in the final hours to the event that high police officials say will clear the way for the operatives to return to normal life after years of gangland violence.

Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury will attend the programme in Agarpur village in Babuganj, a southern upazila believed to be a strong base of outlaws popularly known as Sarbaharas.

"It's a great chance for the operatives to return to normal life. If they blow the chance, they have to face dire consequences," a home ministry official told The Daily Star, asking not to be named.

But legal experts questioned the intent of the programme that comes after a spike in crimes in Barisal and accused law enforcers of stage-managing the event that they say has no legal grounds.

Political observers view it as a scheme to rehabilitate the ruling BNP-patronised outlaws.