Home minister orders crackdown on extortionists, drug dealers

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has ordered law enforcement agencies to quickly arrest extortionists, identified terrorists and drug dealers, warning that action will also be taken against police and other security personnel who fail to act against them.

Speaking to journalists after visiting Professor Dr Md Asadur Rahman, head of the ENT department at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, on Saturday, he said instructions had been given to bring extortionists, identified terrorists and drug dealers under the law quickly in all metropolitan areas, including those under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

He said accused individuals must be brought to justice without delay. If law enforcement members fail to take action against them, the concerned personnel will also face action.
However, the minister said no specific deadline had been set.

Meanwhile, doctors formed a human chain at the main gate of Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday, demanding justice for the attack on Professor Asadur Rahman.

They also demanded an effective national policy to ensure the safety of doctors and other healthcare workers and called for all hospitals to be made safe workplaces.

Speaking at the programme, Assistant Professor of the ENT Department at Dhaka Medical College Azizul Haque Manik said doctors were being blamed for various problems in the healthcare sector and were being assaulted over allegations of wrong treatment.

Professor Asadur Rahman, 55, was attacked around 11pm on August 17 after leaving his chamber at Popular Diagnostic Centre in Shantinagar and getting into an autorickshaw.

He sustained injuries to his head, face and eyes and was later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a bloodied condition, where he is receiving treatment.

The professor said he had received an extortion demand from an unknown number 11 days before the attack. The caller had also set a deadline for payment.

He was attacked two days after the deadline expired.