No trace of 93 ex-outlaws who deserted from ansar
The district police administration does not have any specific information on the whereabouts of 93 former outlaws who had left their jobs from ansar department at different times.
Sources said a total of 596 outlaws surrendered to police in 1999 from Khulna district by taking opportunity of the general amnesty declared by the then government.
The outlaws including the 93 were later provided with the jobs in ansar department under a rehabilitation scheme of the government as a reward for returning to normal life.
Most of the outlaws who had fled from ansar service may be linked with different underground organisations of the southwestern region in Bangladesh, said a highly placed source in Khulna range deputy inspector general's (DIG's) office.
"But we are not yet aware of their whereabouts," the source added.
The then Awami League government declared amnesty to the outlaws in the southwestern part of the country from June 7 to July 27 in 1999 and 2,700 outlaws availed this opportunity.
According to District Special Branch, 503 people who surrendered to the government are still serving in ansar department. They were recruited in the ansar department after a short arms training.
Some of the deserters are now doing agricultural works as they were recruited on "no service no payment" basis while some others are reportedly staying in India being involved in criminal activities, sources said.
"Outlaws still serving in the ansar department or engaged in other jobs are under our close watch," said Khulna Superintendent of Police Md Shamsuddin.
Meanwhile, over a hundred district and upazila level leaders of different underground parties in southwestern region reportedly went into hiding and took shelter at different places of the country including Dhaka to escape arrest in the face of ongoing operations by police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).
Ringleader of an underground party Ahsan Kabir Hasan of Jessore and his younger brother Mizanur Rahman were arrested from Dhaka on September 2. They were later killed in encounters with law enforcers.
According to intelligence agency sources, some regional ringleaders of Khulna, Bagerhat, Kushtia, Chuadanga, Jhenidah and Meherpur based underground parties have fled to other districts or left the country for safety.
Rab-6 sources said they are looking for Khulna-based operation commanders of outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party's (PBCP) Janajuddho faction Amit alias Jewel, Rajat, Harun and Sanjoy and Biplobi Communist Party's Shailen in connection with various crimes, including murder and extortion.
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