Court premises turn heaven for criminals

Premises of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court turn into a safe haven for criminals, drug traders and floating sex-workers after dusk everyday.

Law enforcers remain silent spectators allegedly giving opportunity to the anti-social elements in exchange of money, sources said.

The people passing the area often become the victims of muggers and other anti-social elements. The muggers stab the pedestrians and loot their valuables and later take shelter on the court premises under the very nose of police, many alleged.

The drug addicts frequent the court premises for drugs which are easily available there.

Floating prostitutes prowling in and around the CMM court building are another nuisance pestering the passers-by.

When asked about the matter, a deputy commissioner of DMP also spokesman of the commissioner Moniruzzaman said “I am not aware of it. Now I will ask the concerned police station to take legal action against criminal and anti-social activities.”

However, the deputy Commissioner said all concerned working on the court premises could take the initiative to free the place from the bad elements.

While visiting the place recently, this correspondent found drug traders selling heroin, phensidyl bottles, drugs for pushing into the body and cannabis in and around the court premises under the very nose of police.

A floating prostitute Sabina said, “I take from each customer Taka 500 of which I pay Tk 100 to police and Tk 100 to the local musclemen, for my business.”

“If I fail to catch any customer I am to satisfy police and the terrors with sex,” she said. Instantly, another sex-worker came to spot and asked this correspondent to leave the place at once.

A local said a large number of prostitutes are engaged in their work in and around the court building following their eviction from the brothels in Narayanganj and in the capital.

Another source said, the police are patronising the criminals in exchange for money on daily basis. The criminals and the police patronising them are very much known to every trader and businessman in the area.

Anybody willing to do business here will have to pay daily or monthly basis token money to the police and the terrorists, he added.

Sabbir, relative of a convict said few days ago “I went to the CMM court premises for my brother as my brother was a convicted for a criminal case.”

“I was looking for lawyer in the premises and asked a man for a lawyer. He said that he knows a lawyer. And I was following him” he added.

He also said “the man carry me in a restaurant into the court premises and met with a man and told me that he is a lawyer. Then I told the whole matter to the lawyer.

Sabbir said the lawyer demanded Tk 20,000 for the case as he will arrange bail for my brother.

After that I give him Tk 5,000 on the spot, he told me to come tomorrow on the court and give me a number for contact.

Next day I went to the court premises and looking for the lawyer and trying to call him but the number was closed. Whole day I was stayed at court but I could not manage to catch him. Then I realise that he was a tout.

Like Sabbir, almost regularly many people fall victim to tout and cheating, most of the incident remain unknown.

While visiting the court premises found thousands of people were roaming at the area including lawyer, police, convicts and the relatives of convicts.

There are no checkpoints in the entrances to the court area. Anyone with anything can get inside the court premises without the slightest interruption.

While asking about the security measure taken of the court premises, a police officer at the court premises said, “We do not have any checkposts to search the visitors. But when we find somebody suspicious, only then we search them manually to make sure that he is not a threat to the security of others.”

Dhaka Bar Association Assistant General Secretary Advocate Aminur Rahman Khan told to the daily sun that we have a committee to find out touts in the court premises.

“If anyone informed us about any matter of cheating or touting which related to the court, we scrutinise the matter and took action.” He added.

He also said few days ago we caught a tout, we scrutinise the incident and send the tout to police.

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Court House Street lack of Fire safety gadgets

The court house street is one of the oldest and busiest roads in the old part of the town, located in the rear side of Dhaka District Judge court, Dc office and Chief metropolitan magistrate court.

Everyday several thousand people pass with the road for various purposes. At office time (court running time) it is tough to move with the road by foot.

The street is so narrow and makeshift shop made it narrower, hardly two rickshaws can pass each other but at the office time a rickshaw can hardly pass with the road.

Most of the roads of that area are 10 to 12 feet, it is quite impossible to pass a big vehicle with this road. If any fire incident occurred in this road many people will die because fire vehicles could come to this road in time.

Makeshift shops blocked most of the space of the road. At the office time lots of people went to this road for various needs as various kind of shop was there.

While visited, our correspondent found the road full of people in office time. All kinds of shop were there. Some makeshift shop selling vegetable, some selling tea, cigarette, some were selling food. Lots of shop was there for photocopy, deed writing, stationary, hotel and many more. Even a sheel pata shop was found in the road.

Sahidul Islam, a businessman came to CMM court for his brother case, said, court house street is very busy during the court running time. People come to drink tea, for photocopy, for lunch and many more.

“I came here to make a photocopy of documents which I will submit to the court” he added.

Many high rise building was on the road. Most of the building was used for lawyer’s chamber. The entry gate or roads of those building are so slim. Lots of people everyday went to those chambers for various purposes.

Most of the lawyer’s have chamber is the area because from here it took only a minute to reached at court.

While visited, found no fire safety gadgets of those buildings. Only two high rise building found some fire extinguisher. If any fire incident occurred during court running time many people may die.

Gopal bhar, a shop owner of the court street, said I am doing business here for more then 20 years. My father started business here after his death I am doing this.”

“This road is always full of people. Most of the people came here for court purpose” he added.

Gopal said “what you are searching to? You will get everything in this street, from vegetable to stationary everything you will find here.”

While asked about fire safety, “he said as far I know no building of that area have fire safety.”

While asked Mamun, a hotel owner of that area, if any fire broke out of that area, is it possible for fire vehicle to come in this road during the court running time.

He replied it will be very tough for any big vehicles to come in this road. So it will be also tough for fire vehicles to enter of that area.

Mamun also said this is an unplanned area and oldest part of the city, so when the road and area were started no one think that after 10 or 20 years what will happen.

Jahurul Amin Mia, assistant director (warehouse and prevention) of FSCD said “if any fire incident occurred on this area it will be tough for us to reach on that area because the road is so narrow.”

He also said “FSCD water Carrying Vehicle hardly can reach near rear side of DC office.”

He also said “no reserve tank is here on that road, the only reserve tank of that area which is situated at Jagannath University.”

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