Break the nexus of crime and politics
In a few days, Bangladesh will mark the first anniversary of freedom from Sheikh Hasina's tyrannical rule, notorious for its corruption and political abuses. Yet, the toxic nexus between crime and politics continues to grip the country, as illustrated most recently by the alleged killing of Md Jahangir Hossain in Narayanganj's Araihazar by local BNP members.
According to a report, Jahangir's shop—along with two others—was used to set up the Mahmudpur union's Ward 7 BNP office shortly after August 5. Quoting the deceased's son, the report states that Jahangir's consent was not taken before using his shop, and no rent was paid for it either, although rent for the other two was paid to their owner. On July 30, Jahangir visited the site to demand rent and got into an argument with Tota Mia Pradhan, former general secretary of Mahmudpur union BNP, and several other BNP men. The altercation escalated into a scuffle, after which Jahangir, also a BNP affiliate, was taken to the local health complex where he was pronounced dead. As of 5pm on Friday, police arrested one person in relation to the killing. However, the main accused, Tota, is still absconding.
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This is not an isolated incident—certainly not for BNP, which has seen its grassroots leadership often descend into violent infighting since the uprising—continuing the legacy of the Hasina era when abuse of power and party affiliations became widespread. In fact, over the past 12 months, errant members of almost all major parties have made headlines by engaging in unlawful activities, often leading to violence. According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), between January and June this year, 65 people died in political violence stemming from intra-party feuds. Crimes of all kinds including extortion, murder, and rape were also reported. Unfortunately, most parties disown such incidents by placing blame on individuals, ignoring how they draw their power from party affiliations. Parties signal symbolic distancing when it suits them but have no issue with using the muscle power provided by criminally minded members or when they use images of party founders or top brass for personal gains.
But expelling party members after the fact—like BNP did in the Araihazar case—is not enough. Political parties must build effective and transparent accountability mechanisms that prevent crime within their ranks. They must ensure every member is held accountable by actively cooperating with law enforcement. Without such measures, political abuses will persist. We also call on the government to investigate Jahangir's death and ensure justice. Without consistent enforcement of justice, the legacy of political crime will only deepen.
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