Families of slain cops renew call for justice

The only thing the families of the three recently slain policemen want is justice.

The families renewed their call for bringing the killers to book at a programme, organised by the Police Headquarters yesterday for giving financial assistance to them.

Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque handed over a total of Tk 61 lakh to the families of 14 deceased policemen including constable Mukul Hossain, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Ibrahim Mollah and ASI Sujaul Islam, who were killed recently while performing their duties.

The others either died in accidents or of diseases.

"Definitely the money I got today will help me support my family but I want my son's killer to hang," said Shahidul Hossain, father of Mukul, who was hacked to death at a checkpoint in Ashulia on November 4.

No-one was arrested yet in connection with the attack that left another cop critically injured.

"I am shell-shocked but at the same time proud that my son sacrificed his life for the country," he told The Daily Star. He expects his another son, Jisan, to be recruited into the force.

Referring to the future of her six-year-old daughter and two-year-old son, ASI Ibrahim Mollah's wife Khairunnesa urged the government to give her a job to help run the family.

Ibrahim was stabbed to death at Gabtoli on October 22.

Though police arrested several people, the man who stabbed him is on the run. 

Nasima Akter, wife of ASI Sujaul whose body was found on October 5, a day after he went missing, told The Daily Star, "I want exemplary punishment for those who killed him and made my only son an orphan."

Talking to reporters, IGP Shahidul Hoque said the criminals behind the incidents were identified, and law enforcers arrested some of them and were trying to catch the rest.

He said a vested quarter was targeting general people and innocent police personnel to spread panic, destabilise the country, and affect the police morale.

When asked that many innocent people were being arrested in the latest countrywide crackdown, the police chief said they were conducting raids only to arrest criminals and troublemakers.

He also said the police force was alerted after the recent attacks in the country and in Paris.

Replying to another query on the security of writers, bloggers, publishers and eminent persons, the IGP said it was not possible to give security to individuals but they were brought under the security blanket.

"Police are keeping contact with them," he added.