The unethical Instructions to guard village by day laborers without pay was withdrawn.
The local police and the ruling Awami League leaders were being blamed for forcing the common people including day labourers of Rajnagar and Darbeshpur villages of Meherpur Sadar Upazila to stay awake at night without any payment. The instruction of guarding has been withdrawn after the news was published in various media.
A police team from Baradi police camp visited the village on Tuesday and informed them that they would no longer have to guard. As a result, day laborers did not have to guard the village last night. Excited, they said, “Thank you, journalist brothers.”
The victims complained that they were guarding the village nightlong after working all day long. On the other hand, those who engaged them to do this work, were sleeping peacefully home at night. Allegations surfaced that local police and some leaders of the ruling Awami League forced them to do this odd job.
Day labourer Lal Mohammad told in his response that, ‘To live in the village, one has to do something for the welfare of the village. But the issue here it was extremely discriminatory. It seemed that poor people would do the job of guarding the village, and rich one would sleep at home. There must be rich and poor in the society. But it should not imply declaring it anyway.
He added, journalists have given rid of this problem by publishing the news.
The decision to guard the village at night was implemented from last 1 February. In Rajnagar and Darbeshpur villages, 30 people used to guard at night dividing into 3 groups every day. Day laborers, workers and van pullers are employed in this work.
According to locals, village Awami League president Olil Hossain, vice-president Abdus Salam, village policing committee president Ainal Haque of Juginda village and some leaders of Darbeshpur village along with Debashish Adhikari, in-charge of Baradi police camp, arranged this guarding system.
League leader Abdus Salam this morning claimed, “The matter wass not as it came in the news.”
Mentioning that the decision was taken due to the increase of pilfering in the village, he added, “Now the journalists will come and stop the theft and robbery in the village.” he cracked.
Debashish Adhikari, sub-inspector (SI) and in-charge of the Baradi police camp told this is common in many villages in the country where people themselves guard the village. However, the matter has been closed due to complaints.
Shah Dara Khan, OC of Meherpur Sadar Police Station, said: It will not be done if they (villagers) do not want to. No matter, police are there to maintain law and order.