Outlaws plan united action

Top leaders of several outlawed parties recently held two separate meetings at Kodalia village in Jhenidah Sadar and Malithia village in Shailkupa upazila in Jhenidah district.

The outlaws plan best use of the 'appropriate time' as the democratically elected four-party alliance government ends its tenure within a few months, the sources informed.

At their latest meeting held on Sunday at Malithia village, leaders of the underground outfits discussed ways to revamp all outlawed parties under a 'single platform', the sources said.

“To evade attention of police and local people, they arranged a small gathering pretending that it was a get-together of some of friends”, one sources said. Earlier they held another meeting on Saturday at Kodalia village in Jhenidah Sadar upazila.

The meeting at Malithia was attended by founder of Janajuddha faction of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) Abdur Rashid alias Dada Tapan. Pulok of PBCP (Red Flag) and Madhu Babu of Chinnomul Communist Party (CCP) were among others who attended the meeting. None from Biplobi Communist Party (BCP) attended the meeting, the sources said.

At the meeting, most of the outlawed leaders said there was no alternative to launching 'operation together' for survival of parties, the sources said. The meeting however could not finalise the 'agenda' for activities during the tenure of the upcoming caretaker government or which of the political parties to be supported in the next general election.

Dada Tapan, top leader of Janajuddha, the strongest outlawed outfit in the region, proposed merger of small underground parties with Jannajuddha. However, this was not accepted by other leaders, who suggested formation of an alliance.

At the meeting, they decided that to work for a common goal, an alliance could be formed, primarily styled 'Naxatile Movement'. They also discussed possible shelters during the caretaker government's tenure, sources in intelligence agencies said.

But they wee unanimous on one issueto avenge the 'killings' of their party cadres in the name of 'crossfire'. The meeting also decided to gear up their 'operations' after takeover by the caretaker government.

Though sources in intelligence agencies confirmed the meetings, police officials in Jhenidah are tight lipped on the matter.

A high ranking police official in Jhenidah, seeking anonymity however admitted that they heard about the meetings at Kodalia and Malithia villages. He said the outlaws chose the two villages near border of the Magura and Jhenidah districts, considering them safe places to escape arrest.

He said police are alert and a drive is on to nab the outlaws.

Activities by outlaws declined somehow after several drives by law enforcers and killings of cadres in 'crossfire'. Some top outlaws including 'Kashi Siraj' of Kushtia, Laltu of Chuadanga and Shimul are now behind he bars.