Several private investigation agencies are in business in the country despite the practice being illegal in Bangladesh.
People familiar with the matter say that with the existing laws, there is no room for the government to approve these private intelligence agencies.
The state-run detective agencies work in various fields including collecting intelligence on political matters, militancy and terrorism and many other issues. Despite the illegality, there are still some agencies that work privately.
Private detectives: Who are they?
Many private organizations collect information on their employees for their own interest. In addition to that many people are continuing the practice right under the nose of law enforcing agencies.
Some of the private detective agencies that are in business are: Private Detective, Private Detective BD, Spy Agencies in Bangladesh, Sharp Detective Private Ltd, Personal Private Investigator of Detective, Oporadh Onushondhan Private Ltd, Private Investigator Agency, Dhaka Detectives and Private Intelligence Agency (PIA).
What services do they provide?
Private detectives work a great many jobs and they do it on a contractual basis.
According to their websites these agencies investigate and solve kidnapping and robbery cases in addition to running background checks, verification of property or employees, corporate investigation, teenager monitoring, finding missing persons among many other things.
What do private detectives and law enforcers have to say?
Most of these agencies couldn’t be reached over phone and the addresses on the websites were not legit.
However, one AHM Mostafizur Rahman from ‘Private Detective Limited’ could be reached on phone.
The agency is located in an old building in Siddheswari, right across the Crime Investigation Department’s (CID) headquarters.
After reaching the offices it was revealed that a fortnightly publication also runs by the same name and Mostafizur Rahman is the publisher and editor.
Responding to queries about private intelligence, he told Bangla Tribune that he used to be a contactor and later started ‘Private Detective Limited.’
Mostafizur took the declaration for his fortnightly publication 18 years ago.
“I wanted to build a private detective organisation and contacted several government offices including the home ministry,” he said, adding that at the end it didn’t work out.
However, if anyone wants to avail detective services, they do provide them on the basis of a contract that includes the charge which varies according to the services provided.
He uses many of the correspondents and other sources to deliver his work and thinks that there is a scope for the private detective practice to flourish if the government approves.
Law enforcing agencies however disagree with Mostafizur, saying that there is no room for private intelligence in the country.
“There is no scope for it. A couple of people came to us with proposals but we declined straight up,” public security division’s Joint Secretary Md Harun-Or-Rashid Biswas told Bangla Tribune.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Police headquarters public relations Additional Inspector General Sohel Rana seems to think that the state has enough intelligence agencies of its own.
“There are quite a few state-run intelligence agencies. Even the police have a few detective units who have their work cut out,” Rana said.
He added that if anyone wants information on any relatives of theirs or want verification, they can contact the state agencies.
“This is the safest way. There is a chance of getting conned or harmed through outside agencies,” he said.
“We don’t have any information on any private detective practices,” said Detective Branch of police Joint Commissioner Mahbub Alam.
He said that they will look into the matter and take steps if they receive any complaints regarding the matter.