Anaet Shawon
Around 100 local leaders and activists of ruling Awami League have been killed across the country between April and September this year, sources in AL said.
They blamed the deaths - which in actual count could be higher - on internal feuds, opposition "miscreants," as well as criminals. "All or some of the deaths could be averted had the law enforcing agencies acted timely or responded to distress calls quickly," one AL insider said.
Ruling party men, especially those in Chhatra League, Jubo League and other AL front organisations are known to have indulged in a wide range of misdeeds and wrongdoings to make money and broaden influence and enhance authority in their respective areas.
In that case they often engage in gruesome killings, like the recent seven murders in Narayanganj and Chairman Ekram killing in Fulgazi.
Ironically, AL is now paying for the misdeeds by its own coin.
Sometimes, murder of AL activists slip attention of the media because the aggrieved parties are reluctant to publicise them and even to lodge a formal complaint with police, AL insiders told the Daily Observer.
On the other hand, AL's political rivals, especially Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), make loud outcry over any murder of its leader or activist - and blame it immediately on AL or the law enforcers -- to highlight alleged "atrocities" by the government.
Maybe, it's true that hundreds of opposition activists have been killed over the years but they publicise it for political gains and for trying to turn people against the government.
But BNP has yet failed to achieve that goal.
Many deaths in the BNP were caused by internal conflicts though they point fingers at the government for every loss of life or injuries inflicted.
Forced disappearances and murders have become almost a daily feature in the country since beginning of the year. In some of the incidents of abduction and killing, law enforcing agents have been found involved and killing people in return for money.
So, there can be no denying that law and order is in a shambles - despite repeated warnings and instructions by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to respect law and make best use of it.
She also asked her party men to stay clean and make the administration free from wrongdoings. Yet, many don't follow her words, AL insiders admitted.
Over the past few years AL leaders and activists have been out to control anything from local tenders to gag the administration just because they belong to AL.
On the other hand, BNP being in opposition has a natural advantage to overplay anything that may have been done illegally by the ruling party, political analysts say.
AL leaders and activists are now in fear as guns of the goons and law enforcers both often turned on them. They allege police and RAB do not take stern actions against the killers and law breakers.
"This worries especially the grassroots leaders and workers," one senior AL leader told the Daily Observer, requesting anonymity.
At least three AL men were killed by "miscreants" over the past week.
Natore Pourasava AL Vice President Mozammel Hossain Mojnu was beaten to death by a gang of miscreants on Saturday afternoon while an AL activist M Jahangir Alam from Laxmipur, received injuries in an attack allegedly by a former Jubo Dal leader on Friday evening. Jahangir died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Saturday and the third victim is a Lalmonirhat local AL leader, Biroz Ali Munsi, who was beaten to death.