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Tales from the Crossfire Gazette
 Three more suspected criminals, including an activist of the Awami Juba League, were killed in so-called crossfire with the Rapid Action Battalion in the capital and Barisal on Friday.
| So called? That's almost as bad as alleged! |
Two of them -- Sohel and Babu -- allegedly members of Shahadat-led gang, were killed in an 'encounter' with a RAB-3 team near Khilgaon flyover in the capital while the other -- Jalal Akon of Boalia Nandapara village under Bakerganj upazila -- was killed in 'crossfire' with a RAB-8 team in Dapdapia-Rupatoli area of Barisal city. Jalal was publicity secretary of Rangashree union unit of Juba League, associate body of the ruling Awami League.
| Look at all those scare quotes. Was the writer trained in an American journalism program? |
With them, a total of 22 people have been killed in 'crossfire' with lawmen since the Awami League-led alliance government assumed office on January 6 this year.
In the capital, the RAB said that after being tipped off, the battalion had kept the Shahadat-led gang under surveillance in Kamalapur-Khilgaon-Basabo area where the gang had been engaged in extortion from garment factories also controlling the trade in garment waste fabrics.
| No, we don't know where that is either. Perhaps Old Patriot can figure it out. Separately, what is a garment waste fabric? |
The RAB-3, which has set up checkpoints in the locality, signalled a microbus to stop at the checkpoint near the Khilgaon flyover at about 1:30am Friday. When the vehicle sped past ignoring the signal, the RAB personnel pursued it and managed to stop it near the Kamalapur stadium. But the people inside the vehicle opened fire on the lawmen who returned fire.
| Bad move, guys -- the RAB don't take such behaviour well. |
The exchange of fire continued for about 15 minutes and in the meantime, local people gathered on the scene.
| They gathered to watch? The RAB must be precision shots, all of them. |
The fighting over, the RAB searched the vehicle and found the bodies of Sohel and Babu. The battalion also seized three revolvers with nine bullets and three bottles of liquor from the vehicle.
| Three bottles of liquor? People have been condemned to Hell for less. But then, the RAB are known for their efficiency. |
The deceased were wanted in a number of criminal cases, including murder and extortion, filed with different police station, the RAB claimed.
| Wanted on a number of systems, then. But did their mothers love them? |
In Barisal, the RAB-8 claimed that a team of the battalion had laid a trap at Dapdapia ferry point at about 4:00am on information that 'a gang of criminals' had gathered there.
| At least it wasn't a den. |
Sensing the presence of the lawmen, the 'gangsters' opened fire on them triggering an encounter, the RAB said in a similar account.
After the gunfight which, RAB said, continued for about 15 minutes, the lawmen found a bullet-hit man lying on the ground. He died on way to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
| Not a den, but the outcome was the same. Someone, somewhere, is guilty of creative writing. |
The battalion seized one light gun, a single-shooter gun and 16 live and 15 used cartridges from the spot.
| Perhaps a correspondence course from an American university. Note that no rounds of bullet or shutter guns were found. |
Locals later identified the deceased as Jalal, wanted by Bakerganj police in 10 cases, including murder, robbery and extortion, the RAB claimed.
| Definitely a badman, then. One hopes his mother disapproves. |
Lokman Hossain Dakua, president of Bakerganj upazila Jubo League, said that Jalal was publicity secretary of the upazila unit and secretary of Rangashree union unit of the organisation.
| A man carrying great responsibilities upon his shoulders...wherever he is. |
Jalal was expelled from the JL on May 4 for abducting his neighbour and local BNP leader Abdur Rashid Howladar, 75, from his house for personal enmity and torturing him by tying him to a roadside tree on May 3.
| I'm sure he's been let go from his many jobs; abduction and torture can be so time consuming. |
Deaths in 'crossfire' continue although members of the Awami League cabinet are vocal against such extra-judicial killings. On May 5, LGRD and co-operatives minister Syed Ashraful Islam, also Awami League spokesperson, said the government would not allow any more extra-judicial killings.
| But these are cross fires! The miscreants always start it, forcing the brave men of the RAB to defend themselves. |
State minister for home affairs Tanjim Ahmed said on Wednesday that the BNP-led coalition government had created a culture of killing in custody based on a 'politically-motivated hit list' and that those involved would be punished.
Posted by: Steve White 2009-05-16 |
