Even regular operations of Rat are being hampered, as its bills for cellphones and transports used in anticrime drives have been pending with the finance ministry for approval for the last five months, a Rat official said, not wanting to be named.

Rat sources said cellphone lines of many team members are disconnected, as they could not pay the bills.

"To arrest extortionists in the transport sector, we need to go to terminals by taxicab in guise of passengers. It costs a lot. Who will pay the bills?" the official said.

With only 272 members, the team finds it difficult to deal with all complaints they receive every day.

Apart from that, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Police Headquarters and the Police Commissioner's Office are referring sensitive cases like extortion and abduction to Rat. Police stations also suggest that complaints go to Rat for help, he said.

"Our prime goal is to make Rat a place of trust and confidence of people," Rat Deputy Commissioner Mazharul Hoque said.

"If anybody complains to us, we try to save the victim with all efforts," he said, adding: "We ensure their safety too."

Rat, grouped into 23 teams, is working in different parts of the city. It swung into action from January 25 as a proactive force of 133 members trained up by the army. Another 145 members came in on May 5 to swell the ranks.

The team consists of one deputy commissioner, 15 assistant commissioners, 17 inspectors, 21 sub-inspectors, 20 sergeants, six assistant sub-inspectors, 11 head constables, 43 nayeks and 138 constables.

Since October 10, Rat has filed 23 cases against listed criminals and 10 of them have been disposed of.

Rat has also lodged 214 cases against criminals after arrest in action since October 10. Of them, 86 cases were filed under the Speedy Trial Act, 23 under the arms act, 111 under narcotics control act and another 22 under other acts.

Rat members unearthed two illegal firearms-manufacturing factories in Mirpur and Shyampur and seized firearms.

Eighty percent of the accused were sentenced after conviction by court -- a rate higher than in other departments of police with a 55 percent success rate.

Rat has so far arrested 86 criminals who in the name of top criminals like Kala Jahangir extorted ransom. It arrested 42 listed criminals: one of them is Liakot Hossain who also featured on the police list of 23 top criminals in the city.

On April 17, Rat members arrested their colleague Assistant Commissioner Kazi Mohammad Shafi Iqbal in the act of taking Tk 3 lakh in bribe from a man at Mouchak Market.