Law enforcers have identified at least 88 outposts and camps out of 149 in the areas as vulnerable. Of them five outposts and 12 camps are 'most vulnerable', they said.

The outposts and camps are in Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Kushtia and Jessore districts, known as crime prone areas in the southwestern region.

The most serious problem is that the outposts and camps are housed in virtually unprotected buildings. Other problems include lack of necessary logistics, inadequate manpower and accommodation crisis.

The Daily Star correspondent visited some outposts and police camps in the areas last weak and talked to policemen and camps-in-charge.

There is no electricity in most of the outposts and camps. Policemen work under candle light at night.

A good number of these outposts and camps have no boundary walls, which make them vulnerable to attacks by outlaws and criminal gangs, they said.

It was also seen that many camps were manned by Ansar personnel due to shortage of policemen.

Police sources said at least 500 Ansar personnel are in these outposts and camps in five districts.

There is no armory in any outpost and camp. One policeman seeking anonymity told this correspondent that they go to bed at night keeping their arms beside the bed. This is very risky, he said.

An outpost or a camp is manned by one in-charge and six to ten personnel. This manpower with old arms is very much vulnerable in case of attack by outlaws or criminals, he said.

There is no transport in any of the outposts and camps. Law enforcers have to go to spot on foot or rickshaw van; and criminals can easily take to their heels after committing crime before police reach there.

The outposts have no means for communication with higher authorities. Most of time, the camp in-charge communicates with his boss through own mobile phone. This keeps them virtually detached from thanas at the upazila and at districts.

The law enforcers working at these outposts and camps always feel very insecure. Condition of terror infested areas are worsened. At least 88 outposts have been identified as vulnerable.

The police sources said 16 out of 39 camps and outposts in Kushtia, 12 out of 30 in Jessore, 11 out of 23 in Jhenidah, 13 out of 35 in Chuadanga, five out of seven in Meherpur have been identified as vulnerable.

The vulnerable outposts and camps include those in Jhaudia, Monohordia, Patikabari, West Abdalpur, Harinarayanpur, Bhabaniganj, Mukshidpur, Kaya, Bashgram, Panti, Jodubaira, Majirhat, Halsha, Amla, Kakiladah, Kalidashpur, in Kushtia; Khaskarra, Gholdari, Hatboalia, Patchkamlapur, Sarojganj, Siduria, Karpasdanga, Bishnupur and Daliarpur in Chuadanga; Langalbadh, Tomaltala, Ramchandrapur, Hatfazilpur in Jhenidah and all the six camps in Kaliganj upazila in the district.

Katlamari, Biswanath and Karapur in Jessore and Elongi, Dhola, Bamundi, Baradi in Meherpur are also vulnerable.

All police stations, outposts and camps in the region have been put on 'high alert' following the arms looting from Singra outpost in Natore last month.

But the warning has little impact on the ill-equipped policemen who are working in a vulnerable situation, some policemen in different said while talking to this correspondent.

Police recently recovered a list of 'weak' police stations, outposts and camps across the country from outlaws arrested after looting of Bamihal police camp in Natore last month.

This created panic among policemen who suspect that the list might have been prepared by outlaws for attack, they said.

Outlaws killed 23 policemen including three officers in the region last year.