Law enforcement authorities in Jessore have intensified their operations to arrest fugitive convicts and accused individuals. As a result, the Kotwali Police in Jessore Sadar upazila successfully apprehended 200 fugitives in April alone. According to police sources, the total number of individuals with outstanding arrest warrants in the region has surpassed 6,000.
Police officials admit that the delay in executing court-issued warrants over the past several months has contributed to the rising number of fugitives. However, a focused crackdown starting in early April is beginning to yield results.
Data reveals that about 4,000 of the fugitives are from the 15 unions of Jessore Sadar, while approximately 2,000 are from the 9 wards of Jessore Municipality. A significant number of these individuals are transient or former tenants, making it difficult to trace their current whereabouts. Many have reportedly moved to different areas, and over a hundred political activists—named in warrants issued after August 5 last year—have allegedly fled the country.
From 2018 to the end of 2024, more than 6,000 individuals have been issued arrest warrants in Jessore Sadar alone. With ongoing legal proceedings and new criminal cases being filed regularly, the list continues to grow.
Several special police teams have been deployed to conduct union and ward-based raids. Among those wanted are over a hundred high-profile criminals involved in serious offenses, including murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking, extortion, cybercrime, sexual violence, kidnapping, and attacks on public property.
Officer-in-Charge of Kotwali Police Station, Abul Hasnat, and Inspector (Investigation) Kazi Babul Hossain confirmed the operation is ongoing and that law enforcement agencies are now relying on informants and advanced intelligence to track fugitives. They acknowledge that more than half of the individuals on their list cannot be found at their registered addresses.
Despite the challenges, Jessore Police remain committed to restoring law and order. Authorities have urged local residents to cooperate by providing any information that may lead to the arrest of fugitives.