Outlaws also apply in Khulna for withdrawal of cases

Two underground operatives, charge-sheeted in murder and other criminal cases filed against them during the last ten years, have also filed petitions with the deputy commissioner of Khulna to withdraw the cases.
They are Imran Kabir, second-in-command of outlawed New Biplobi Communist Party (NBCP), and KM Shamim Akhter, an armed cadre of the outfit. Imran has been charge-sheeted in six murder and nine other criminal cases while Shamim in seven murder and eight other criminal cases.
Besides, CPB leader Advocate Firoz Ahmed and Muslim League leader Advocate Akhter Jahan Ruku are also among 122 others who have applied for withdrawing two murder cases filed against them.
The prominent politicians who have petitioned to withdraw cases against them include incumbent Mayor of Khulna City Corporation Talukder Abdul Khaleque, two former mayors, Kazi Aminul Huq of Awami League and Sheikh Tayebur Rahman of BNP, and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) leader Advocate ABM Nurul Alam.
Mayor Khaleque, also the president of Khulna City Awami League, has filed a petition seeking withdrawal of a case filed against him in 2008 for gambling at the residence of one of his friends at Gagan Babu Road under Khulna Sadar Police Station.
Former mayor Kazi Aminul Huq has applied for withdrawing two cases while Sheikh Tayebur Rahman for ten cases.
Jatiya Party (JP) central vice-president and ex-lawmaker Abdul Gaffar Biswas has submitted a petition to the DC to withdraw two cases filed against him with Khalishpur Police Station in 2007 under Arms Act and Narcotics Control Act.
Three women suspected to be closely linked with underground organisations are also among the petitioners.
The women are Nira Begum, Sabina Yesmin and Shahida Begum. Nira faces 17 cases, Sabina 14 cases and Shahida 22 cases. Most of the cases were filed against them for their participation in committing murders by the outlaws and passing information about the targets.
The petitioners also include a top criminal who has got his petition recommended by a lawmaker of Khulna.
A high official of Khulna district administration told The Daily Star that most of the cases against political leaders and leaders of their front organisations were filed during the last caretaker government. But over a hundred petitioners are not at all political men, he said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Khan Mohammod Rezaul Karim said all the petitions have been forwarded to the Public Prosecutor (PP) for his opinion after perusal.
The PP is supposed to send the petitions after checking and rechecking background of the petitioners with his opinion to the deputy commissioner, Khulna.
When asked, PP Abu Shahin ruled out any possibility of considering the petitions of the criminals.
“Only the cases filed to defame political persons during the rule of the four-party alliance government and last caretaker government will be sent to the review committee of the home ministry,” said the PP.