Bangladesh's most wanted goes missing after bail

Sailen Biswas alias Pradip, founder of the banned New Biplobi Communist Party in Bangladesh, was allegedly “picked up” by some unidentified people in a police car, after he walked out of the Dun Dum Central Jail on August 8.

Biswas, who features in the Bangladeshi government’s most wanted list, was living on the outskirts of Kolkata since 2003. He was arrested by the state police from Habra, in the North 24 Prganas, in April this year in connection with an arms. He was in judicial custody since.

He was granted bail on August 8. However, family members said when they went to receive Biswas at the prison, they found a  Tata Sumo with a police logo (number WB-02P-6233) parked outside the gate. 

“We were not allowed to go near the gate. As my father stepped outside they covered his head with a black cloth and whisked him away. They were four or five in number and when we asked the guards we were told that CID has taken him away,” Biswas’ son Mrinmoy Biswas told Deccan Herald over phone.

“We have got no news of him and fear that he might have been killed. My father worked for the common people of Bangladesh including the Hindus. Hence, cases were slapped against him. But once we crossed over to India, he wanted to live a peaceful life as an Indian citizen,” Mrinmoy said.

The untraceable

Since then, Biswas’ family members have been running from pillar to post to trace him, but of no avail.

According to sources in the Bangladesh government, Biswas hailed from Shalua village in Khulna district.

He is wanted in 54 criminal cases in Khulna, Satkhira and Jessore districts of Bangladesh, besides 21 cases of murder, kidnap and extortion in the Dumuria police station area.

Sailen Biswas fled Bangladesh in 2003 after the government launched “operation clean heart,” an offensive to crack down on armed outfits. Since then he was living with his family in North 24 parganas, before being arrested.

“We lodged a complaint against one jailor. The second judicial magistrate asked the district intelligence branch to conduct an investigation and submit a report by August 30. The court also sought a report from the jail authorities. We think that it is a conspiracy hatched by the jail authorities and security agencies and the life of my client is under grave risk,” Biswas’ lawyer Nimai Roy said.

“I am not aware of the case. I will look into it,” Inspector General (Prison), Ranvir Kumar said.