More CC cameras to prevent abduction

The government has decided to install closed-circuit (CC) cameras at all important intersections in cities across Bangladesh to prevent abductions.

State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal revealed the government plan on Wednesday amid widespread criticism over a spate of abductions over the past month.

Among those abducted, the businessman husband of environmental lawyer Syeda Rizwana Hasan was found alive, but Narayanganj City Corporation Councillor Nazrul Islam was found dead along with five other people on Wednesday.

The latter was abducted along with four of his aides on Sunday. That very day Narayanganj’s senior lawyer, Chandan Kumar Sarker, and his driver ‘Ibrahim’ also went missing.

Ibrahim is one of the six dead found floating on the Shitalakhya river at the district’s Bandar Upazila.

The junior home minister was speaking to journalists only hours before the bodies were found.

File Photo

He said, “There are CC cameras in some streets. But the government has decided to install more to prevent crimes including abductions.”

A CC camera at Gulistan-Jatrabarhi Mayor Mohammad Flyover had captured footage of the microbus used in the abduction of Syeda Rizwana Hasan’s husband Abu Bakar Siddique. But police are yet to get hold of it.

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said another CC camera at Gulshan’s Shoppers World had helped to nab the killers of Juba League leader Riazul Haque Khan Milki.

He said the government was also planning to soon install such cameras on multi-storied buildings, besides important intersections.

The government has also decided to ban use of black or tinted glasses on microbus to prevent crimes, he added.

The minister also claimed that statistics showed that the number of abduction had declined in recent times.

Police patrol had been increased in different places to keep crime under control, he said, adding that many security check posts had also been set up at the entry points to all cities.

Kamal said efforts were on to arrest Nazrul’s abductors.

Asked whether Narayanaganj’s administration was weak, he said, “Efficiency may drop if an official is posted at one place for too long.”

“Considering this, Narayanganj’s Superintendent of Police, RAB commanding officer and the officers-in-charge of Fatulla and Siddhirganj police stations have been withdrawn.”

The public administration ministry on Wednesday also removed the district’s deputy commissioner after eight people were abducted from the district in two weeks.