Opella Raju Naha, officer-in-charge (OC) of Brahmanpara police station of Cumilla district has extended his all-out support to the criminals to run their illicit trade smoothly. But he (Opella Raju) has been doing everything for the betterment of the organised crime syndicates since his joining in exchange of huge amount of bribe. He has amassed huge amount of money from 73 listed criminals, says a media report. Besides, many unlisted criminals are also paying tolls to Opella Raju on monthly or weekly basis.
Brahmanpara, bordering area of Cumilla district, is known as safe haven for criminals like smugglers, traffickers, drug peddlers and robbers. Some kilometres along the border with India of this area has become a safe haven for them as they easily can smuggle Indian sarees, three-piece lehengas, other clothes, cell phone sets and spices alongside yaba tablet, phensidyl and other drugs every day.
The OC Opella Raju Naha assigned one of the constables of the police station named Didar who has formed several organised gangs of smugglers comprising 10 to 12 criminals.
Authorities concerned
must gear up activities
and strengthen capacity
to deal with such cops
Police station is established to ensure security of common people, and businessmen and foil the attempted smuggling of anything especially in the border area. Therefore, it is worrying that some cops led by their boss are doing everything possible to ensure security of illicit trade, lives and property of the criminals instead people and the country in exchange of money.
The cops on several occasions claimed that they are determined to root out smuggling in border area and ensure people's security.
Apart from Opella Raju Naha, Md. Shahjahan, an inspector of Industrial Police in Chattogram who was also the OC at Lohagara and Sandwip police stations has extorted crores of taka from different people, says an official of Anti-corruption Commission (ACC). ACC has found illegal properties including six-storey building, land, two passenger busses and other assets worth more than taka 3.29 crore (32,936,000) in his wife's name.
But Opella Raju Naha and Md. Shahjahan’s assets are much more than the assets already discovered. Country’s law enforcement agencies are the most corrupt, a recent study says, adding 74.4 percent households who come across the services of cops become the victims of corruptions.
Therefore, authorities concerned and the ACC, the anti-graft watchdog of the country, assigned to curb corruption from Bangladesh, must gear up activities and strengthen capacity to deal with such cops. As many ‘big fishes’ behind all illegal businesses and activities in police department have not been brought to book yet, the criminals are being encouraged. If the cops who have amassed huge wealth are brought to book, they will not dare commit such crime wearing government uniform.