Special operations to continue until election: Jahangir

Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has said that not all missing arms have been recovered yet, but efforts to retrieve them are ongoing. He stated that special operations are being conducted across the country and will continue until the election.

He made the remarks on Monday (August 4) at the Secretariat after a meeting of the Core Committee on Law and Order held in the conference room of the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The adviser said the goal is to reduce mob violence to zero, emphasising that no leniency will be shown in cases involving mobs. He added that the upcoming election will be held with the current law enforcement forces and will be conducted very smoothly.

Regarding the meeting, he said, “We generally discuss the law-and-order situation, which is a broad topic despite consisting of only two words. There is nothing specific beyond this. We discuss almost everything related to the country, including recent incidents and possible future events. These are the issues under discussion.”

He added that special focus is being given to combating drugs, which has become a major problem in the country. “We always emphasise this issue. I have been reviewing your reports as well. There has been a significant increase in the seizure of yaba tablets. However, while some smaller offenders are being caught, the bigger fish—the main masterminds—have yet to be apprehended. We want to bring these major offenders to justice as soon as possible.”

When asked by journalists about any security risks around August 5, the Home Affairs Adviser said, “After the Awami League government left on August 5, meaning the law-and-order situation at that time, has it improved today on August 4? Or has it not? You all can tell us better than we can. When we took charge at that time, what was the condition of our police force? What was the situation of other forces and the country? You tell us whether there has been any improvement or not.”

Responding to concerns about public fear, he said, “There was some fear related to August 3. But there is no reason for any fear regarding August 5. Allah willing, everything will proceed well, and all programs will be conducted smoothly. For this, we need your help and cooperation. You will cover various locations and observe that everything is going well.”