614 outlaws to surrender tomorrow
A total of 614 members of several outlaw gangs will surrender to police tomorrow in Pabna, said home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal yesterday.
Even 30 years ago, different members of various outlaw gangs held power in many places in the country but their numbers and strength have reduced significantly now, the minister said at the inauguration of the “International Training Course in Transnational Crime: SAARC Perspective” held at the Police Staff College in Mirpur.
Around 20 participants, including two each from India, Maldives and Bhutan, will take part in the two-week long training course.
The Public Security Division Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs Mostafa Kamal Uddin and Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary were present as special guests while Police Staff College Rector Rowshan Ara Begum chaired the event.
These 614 outlaws have realised their faults and decided to surrender, the minister said in response to a journalist's question.
Regarding the fate of these outlaws, the home minister said they would take action as per the existing laws.
Police said the surrender programme would take place tomorrow in Pabna's Shaheed Aminuddin Stadium.
Regarding the surrender, an MP of Pabna-2 Advocate Samsul Haque Tuku said the government had “given the criminals an opportunity to lead a normal life” for the sake of peace and happiness in the country.
“As we are heading towards development, the government has decided to help all the people lead normal lives. Responding to the call, pirates of the Sundarbans and drug dealers of Cox's Bazar have already surrendered and now the outlaws are going to follow suit,” Tuku said.
Addressing a press conference at Pabna Press Club yesterday, Tuku, also the president of parliamentary standing committee of the home ministry, said the outlaws would remain under surveillance after their surrender so that they do not return to outlawry.
US ALERT
Home Minister Asaduzzaman said issuing alerts has become “a practice of the United States”.
“We don't have any information on any risk...Then, why has the United States issued alerts,” the minister asked.
Earlier on Wednesday, the US embassy in Dhaka issued a fresh alert for US citizens following the March 15 terrorist attack in two mosques in New Zealand.
“…We encourage U.S. citizens to exercise heightened awareness of the ongoing threat posed by transnational terrorist organizations such as ISIS and al-Qa'ida,” read the alert on the Bangladeshi US embassy website.
“Despite the wonderful atmosphere here, I do not understand why the USA is not satisfied,” Asaduzzaman said.
“If they have any information regarding threats, they should provide us with the information and its related intelligence and we will take action,” he added.
ON BNP CHIEF KHALEDA ZIA'S RELEASE
The minister said they have not yet received any application requesting the government to release BNP chief Khaleda Zia from jail on parole.
But if an application is sent in this regard, then it will be scrutinised under the existing law and then a decision will be taken, he said in reply to a journalist's query.