BANGLADESH

The country's two intelligence agencies, National Security Intelligence (NSI) and Detective Branch (DB) of police, are at loggerheads over the suspension of three DB inspector over allegations of bribery.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police's DB inspectors Shafiuddin Sheikh, Ruhul Amin and Gias Uddin were temporarily suspended on Thursday following their arrest by NSI officials in front of the Holy Family Hospital at Maghbazar.

NSI officials claimed that they set up a trap in front of the hospital to catch 'fake DB officials' following information from a businessman. The detectives were arrested as they entered the scene.

Meanwhile, DB police have alleged that NSI officials had taken the three officers in custody and tortured them even after they had identified themselves as police officers on the spot.

The suspended detectives are currently admitted at Rajarbagh Police Lines Hospital with injuries.

DB joint commissioner Mir Shahidul Islam, leading a committee investigating the matter, told bdnews24.com: "The committee will send a letter to NSI to present the businessman 'Jewel', who provided the information to NSI, before the committee."

He said, "I have already discussed the matter with an NSI official and we've also visited the spot."

Quoting his NSI co-worker, Islam said, "NSI conducted the raid that day as they had information that some people were committing acts of fraud by claiming themselves as DB officials."

"The investigation is now at the initial stage. The decision will be taken after scrutinising the allegations and statements of the detectives and NSI officials."

An NSI official, seeking anonymity, told bdnews24.com: "Those detectives didn't identify themselves on the spot. Though, they were arrested on Thursday, they had been contacting Jewel from two days ago. They were demanding extortion from him."

He claimed that the three directly fell in their trap which they had set up following the complaint Jewel filed with them on Wednesday.

"They identified themselves as DB officials after they were taken at the NSI headquarters. We handed them over to the DB authorities after contacting them."

He also said that DB's assistant commissioner Sanwar Hossain also linked with the three.

The intelligence officer refuted the allegation of torture. "These police officers have records of illegal activities."

At a press briefing on Sunday, DMP commissioner Benazir Ahmed said, "Investigations are underway against the police officers including Sanwar. Measures will be taken following probe report."

AC Sanwar dismissed the allegation against him and said, "I've talked to the detectives. They said they were beaten severely with sticks."

"Inspector Shafiuddin has received injuries in his left eye while doctors are keeping Ruhul Amin asleep as he got badly hurt in the head," he said.

A robbery has taken place at a bank employee's residence in the Capital's Jatrabari.

Police reported that the incident took place around 3am Sunday morning at Jatrabari's Kajir Ga in Matuyail Pashchimpara.

The law enforcement agency also said that the robbers had looted the family at gunpoint and escaped with Tk. 300,000 in cash and 50 'bhari' of gold.

Jatrabari police chief Abul Kashem told bdnews24.com that the bank employee, Haji Delowar Hossain, was injured when he was attacked with a meat-cleaver.

Kashem added that "a band of 15 to 20 robbers had broken through the main entrance to the house, and had robbed the family."

However, the police chief could name the bank in which Hossain was employed. He also said that no cases had been filed with the station yet.

At least three in ten people suffer from one form of mental illness or the other in Bangladesh, but most of them do not consider it as an 'illness', aggravating their condition, according to mental health experts.

"The number is increasing by the day as society and lifestyle change," Prof Golam Rabbani, director at the National Institute of Mental Health, told bdnews24.com on Sunday, a day before World Mental Health Day.

This year, the day's theme is to encourage investments in prevention, treatment and promoting awareness of mental illnesses.

"People with mental disorders are mostly neglected and traumatised," Rabbani said. On many occasions they believe it is not an illness and only see a psychologist or psychiatrist when things get worse.

Taslima Akhter who comes twice a week at the institute to take therapy for her diagnosed 'obsessive-compulsive disorder' said she did not realise at first that it was an illness.

"She used to wash and clean hands and cooking utensils again and again. Even she changes dishes quite often. Things were getting worse every day," her husband Moslem Ali told bdnews24.com. First, he too could not understand it was a disease.

"We saw a psychiatrist at one of our relatives' request," he said, adding the doctor said the condition had advanced.

Studies of the institute show 16 percent above 18 years of age go through some form of mental illnesses while the rate is 18 percent among children aged between five and 17 years.

The studies also found prevalence of the disease in rural Bangladesh too.

"Earlier families used to live together, but they are nuclear now. Their (people's) demand is growing, but most of the time they cannot fulfil them due to soaring costs.

"It raises the risk of mental illnesses," Rabbani said.

"But their depression and mode disorders remain unnoticed, until (the condition) aggravates."

One study found children of older parents, nuclear family and families with a mental disorder are more likely to do drugs.

Strong link was found between mental disorders and drug abuse in the study.

Father's low educational background, parents' mental disturbances and birth trauma are significantly linked with children's mental retardation and epilepsy, according to the institute of mental health's survey.

"Mental disorders not only cripple a person or a family, but also stand in the way of building a bright future generation," Rabbani said, They also adversely impact the whole healthcare system.

"It never received priority on the health agenda before as it gets now," he said.

"Earlier treatment was concentrated in larger hospitals. But now the government has decided to take it to the grassroots."

The director said health workers and doctors were being trained up and community health care centres would be equipped to offer primary treatment. The five-year sector plan for health integrated mental health with other physical illnesses.

"But the action should be consistent," he said, soliciting support from the private sector and NGOs to ensure 'a sound mind in a sound body', to all.

The Indian media says the four Kashmiri medical students who went 'missing' in Sylhet were in fact interrogated by the Indian intelligence, with support from Bangladeshi authorities.

The students were questioned in connection with Washim Ahmed, another Kashmiri student studying in Dhaka, who was arrested by National Intelligence Agency (NIA) with regard to the Delhi High Court blast, said Indian newspaper The Hindu on Sunday.

The paper quoting the Press Trust of India news agency said on its online edition the four hailed from Kishtwar in Kashmir valley, Washim's hometown.

Two interns and two students of private Ragib-Rabeya Medical College hailing from India, who were missing from Thursday, returned to the campus on Sunday.

The college authorities said plainclothes men who identified themselves as member of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had taken them away for questioning from their hostels.

RAB and the police have so far denied any involvement.

The private medical college authorities kept the media from speaking to the students. The interns are Tosaddek Rashed and Amir Amin Reshmi and the students are Taosif Ahmed and Danesh Batt.

The Hindu said an NIA team came to Sylhet to question them to get details about Washim. But they were let off after the NIA team found nothing to back their investigation.

When asked about the incident, home minister Shahara Khatun declined to comment, saying the matter is 'sensitive'.

"Investigation into the matter is underway," she told reporters.