Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP) has started summary trials to curb drugs and crime. For the first time, this method is being successfully implemented. In the last two months, 212 cases have been disposed of in the city through this method. In these cases, 491 people have been arrested and sentenced to various terms, subject to a review of the crime.
Drug dealers and drug users are in a panic due to such initiatives by the police and the judiciary. Those concerned believe that the crime rate across the city is decreasing day by day due to the strengthening of anti-drug activities by the police.
According to the Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office, the summary trial system was introduced in four police stations under the BMP three months ago. In September, 122 cases were filed in Barisal city under this system. 198 people were arrested in these cases. On the other hand, 90 cases have been filed so far in the current month of October and at least 300 people have been arrested.
Among these, in September, 122 people were arrested in 52 cases under the summary trial method at Kotwali Model Police Station among the four police stations in the Barisal Metropolitan Area and sentenced to various terms. Similarly, seven people were arrested in six cases at Bandar Police Station and sentenced to various terms. In the same month, eight people were sentenced to various terms in three cases at Airport Police Station and 61 people were sentenced to various terms in Kaunia Police Station in 61 cases filed against them and sentenced to various terms.
Kamrul Hasan, the administrative officer in charge of the Barisal Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, told Amar Desh that the trial process of the Barisal Metropolitan Magistrate Court is ongoing under the summary trial system. The judges of the Metropolitan Magistrate First, Second and Third Courts are completing immediate trials for various crimes, including drug-related cases, almost every day. Last September, more than three hundred accused were given immediate sentences for various terms in 191 cases.
He said that the common people and even the victims’ families are benefiting from the summary trial process. The accused do not have to wait for years for justice.
In this regard, Assistant Public Prosecutor of the Barisal Metropolitan Magistrate Second Trial Court, Mainul Islam Sajal, told Amar Desh, “Through the summary trial method, the judges of the court are immediately sentencing or releasing the accused. This is a truly commendable initiative.”
He said earlier that even if the accused were arrested with a large amount of drugs, they could be released on bail within two to four days. Then they would get involved in the same profession again. As a result, the criminal tendency of society was increasing instead of decreasing. But since the summary trial system is used for immediate trials, there is no chance of bail. Even those tried by the High Court are not getting bail immediately. As a result, the criminal tendency of the society is decreasing. This is really a commendable judicial system for controlling drugs.
Barisal Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (South) Sushanta Sarkar told Amar Desh, “In the past, we have seen that even if a small number of drug dealers or drug users were arrested and handed over to the court, they would be released on bail the next day through loopholes in the law and get involved in various crimes, including drugs. As a result, it was not possible to control drug dealers or drug users.”
He said, “While searching for the reasons behind various crimes committed in the society, we found some kind of involvement of drugs behind almost every incident. After being arrested with drugs, they were released on bail and were joining the same profession again. However, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abu Raihan Muhammad Saleh Sir, after joining Barisal, laid emphasis on summary trials in controlling crimes, including drugs. We are already getting great success in controlling drugs. I hope that soon the trend of drugs and other crimes in the city will decrease to a great extent.”
In this regard, Barisal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abu Raihan Muhammad Saleh told Amar Desh that after joining Barisal, he has been emphasizing the summary trial system for the last three months to control various types of crimes, including drugs. He said this system is not widely used across the country. But in the context of Barisal, the matter is coming in handy.
The police commissioner said, “We have noticed that criminals are getting bail within two to four days of arrest through loopholes in the law. As a result, they are encouraged to start business again, making it impossible to control criminal activities, including drugs.”
He said that, after the arrest of the accused in the summary trial system, dope tests are being conducted officially. The accused is being handed over to the court with all the evidence, and the court is conducting an immediate trial. This has created panic among drug users and dealers. As a result, many are now staying away from drugs. Keeping this in mind, we have emphasized the summary trial system to control crimes, including drug crimes, and it is yielding good results.
He also said, “Eight to 10 teams are working every day to control crime and eradicate drugs in the city. We are optimistic that drug dealers and criminals will flee from Barisal city.”
Meanwhile, many are seeing such police action in controlling drugs and crime in Barisal metropolis as positive. Raju Ahmed, a prominent businessman in Barisal city and member secretary of the Barisal district branch of Amar Desh Pathak Mela, said that the initiative to bring criminals to justice quickly can play a role in reducing crime trends.
If the anti-drug campaign continues alongside the summary trial system, further progress will be made in controlling the spread of drugs in the metropolis. To maintain the effectiveness of this initiative, it is necessary to take legal action against drug dealers and criminals, along with the continuous activities of the law enforcement agencies.
