Next morning the shabby labourers met the neighbour begging him not to tell anybody their story. But he could not hold himself back telling the story to the reporter only to make it clear that under circumstances a labourer may turn into a petty criminal. He fears some may become professional criminals if the situation does not improve.

This is not the picture of only two labourers. Though their crime seems light in its type, it is taking place at several places in the area almost every night. In the morning the light crimes become talk of the jobless people at tea stalls where many others happen to find a way of income.

There are thousands others like the two CJML workers retrenched from the four state-owned jute mills including recently closed Peoples Jute Mills Ltd (PJML) who had been remained unpaid for seven months.

The salary unpaid for each labourer on an average stands at Tk 22,400 except the benefits. They owe money to shopkeepers, who have stopped selling them goods including rice on credit.

"We've heard the incident from locals and on roadside but could not get reported," said Bikash, duty officer of Khalishpur Police Station.

"I'm gripped with fear as the pretty crimes are increasing overnight. What would be the scenario if half of the starving community turns to this way or is induced to crime by any extremist faction of Sarbaharas," said Anisur Rahman, who had noticed the iron plate theft.

As the government has not paid their wages, arranged rehabilitation or managed them alternative jobs, the workers are getting involved in small-scale crimes to survive. It is feared crimes would spread fast at the hands of the almost starving community if they are not paid back or rehabilitated.

Locals who have undergone fearsome experiences of outlawed Sarbaharas fear in absence of political activities, extremists might take advantage of the situation by inducing the jobless and foodless people into their operations.

Sociologists fear if living in such uncertainty persists it may leave serious impacts especially on the mindset of children who are dropping out of schools as a consequence of non-payment of labourers' wages.

The present situation would put them into a state of uncertainty that might lead them to live by unfair means, particularly involving in crimes.

Locals said a week ago Rapid Action Battalion caught two snatchers in the area.

"The incidence of stealing electric wire has also increased and I found a power connection to our factory was snapped yesterday morning," said Mamun, a guard of Platinum Jubilee Jute Mills Ltd.

The owner of Bhai Bhai Ghosh Bhandar in front of the main entrance to PJML also found head of his tube-well missing about a month ago.

"I'm not in a position to borrow money as I already owe Tk 25,000 to my brother, Tk 8,000 to a mortgage agency and Tk 2,000 to shopkeepers," said Jalil, a retrenched worker of PJML, who did not get his last six months' salary.

"What should I do for my family? I cannot see them die without food so I went out one night with one of my friends and stole electric wire during load shedding," said Monir [not his real name] who confessed to having involved in theft once.

"My father sent me to Dhaka to earn for the family several weeks ago. I lived there for two weeks and could not manage a job. I don't know what should I do for my family in the arrived situation," said Hemayet, a student of class eight at PJM High School, who deserted education after PJML was closed.

"The situation may bring down a disaster for the society if proper rehabilitation measures are not taken on time," said Prof ASM Atikur Rahman of Institute of Social Welfare and Research Institute, Dhaka University.

"The uncertainty over fundamental human demands may lead anyone to anywhere and consequences in the society might go beyond imagination," he noted.