Attack on UNO Wahida: TIB calls for judicial probe

Transparency International Bangladesh today demanded a judicial probe into the barbaric attack on Ghoraghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer Wahida Khanam to unearth the actual reason behind the incident.

In a statement, the graft watchdog slammed the "ill-attempt" to divert the gruesome attack as "mere theft" or a "stray incident", and urged the government to ensure exemplary punishment of the real culprits after identifying them through the probe.

TIB said insecurity and distrust have been created among others following such an attack on a top local administration official.

It called upon the government to take effective and visible steps to remove such feelings of insecurity and distrust.

It is very "frustrating" and "doubtful" that such a grievous incident has been described as "mere theft" and a "stray incident" based on the primary confession of a suspect, said TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman.

He pointed to media reports saying the attack could have happened because of the UNO's firm stance against corruption and unethical practices involving government land, illegal sand lifting and brick kilns in her area.

Iftekharuzzaman stressed the need for the judicial probe to find out whether local influential, corruption-friendly and vested groups had a role in the incident.

Such an attack was carried out as there has been a lack of proper investigation and trials on attacks that took place at different times on local administration in the past under political cover or due to the instigation of influential locals, said the TIB executive director.

Probe reports of many sensitive incidents did not see the light of day in the past and real culprits remained out of the purview, said Iftekharuzzaman.

The attack on the Ghoraghat UNO is a clear example of a longstanding culture of impunity that has developed in the judicial system together with a lack of political will, he said.

"There is no scope to see it [the attack] as a stray incident," he added.