Editorial
Flawed charge sheet, sullied reputation
Government must display seriousness in investigating cases
At last a charge sheet on the Chittagong arms haul case has come up to the court for hearing. The court has reproved the relevant authorities for the way the charge sheet was framed and ordered appropriate action against the investigating officer (IO). One can only express anguish and shock at the way the charge sheet has been framed, having so many loopholes that it has been left looking like a net. We are aghast and dumbfounded at the slipshod manner in which the IO has gone about his task.One has not heard of any substantive action being initiated against the IO. It was expected of the police to take the errant officer to task, instead of waiting for the court's directive to do so. The manner in which the investigation has been conducted and the level of efficiency exhibited by the IO, excluding three of the ten trucks in a most surreptitious manner, force us to question the earnestness of the government in getting at the bottom of the case. One would have thought, being a case of grave nature which is being observed by several South Asian countries, the government would have addressed the matter with the seriousness that it deserved. Unfortunately, it seems that the authorities have treated this case even less seriously than an ordinary one. Needless to say, this case has great security implications, not only for Bangladesh but also for the region as a whole. For the slipshod manner the case has been handled, Bangladesh may rightly expect similar queries from our neighbours, which we are positing. One wonders what plausible reply to their concerns can we give? The consequence of all this is Bangladesh's loss of face and credibility internationally. The government must take up this case more seriously than just 'any other' case. Not only the gravity of the case but also our reputation as a nation demands that the government does so.
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