Zero tolerance for 'crossfire', IGP’s remarks were inappropriate: Home Minister
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has directly rejected Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir’s remarks on “crossfire”, saying the government does not want such incidents and has a zero-tolerance policy towards them.
“The government does not want crossfire; rather, it has zero tolerance for crossfire,” the home minister said. Describing the IGP’s remarks as inadvertent, he added, “That was not right. He should not have said that.”
At an event in Chawkbazar in Old Dhaka on Monday, IGP Md Ali Hossain Fakir said the police would resort to “crossfire” if necessary, provided the government gave permission.
He said that when the police used force, one side called them fascists, while when they remained inactive, they were branded weak.
The police must be given an appropriate environment to carry out their duties and maintain law and order, he added.
Asked about the remarks on Tuesday evening, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “He (the IGP) is a straightforward person. While speaking about the strict enforcement of the law, he made the remark inadvertently. That was not right. He should not have said that.”
The home minister firmly reiterated that the government did not want crossfire and maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards it. He said the government would not allow extrajudicial killings and would take an extremely firm stance on the issue. The government would not tolerate extrajudicial killings or custodial deaths, he added.
Salahuddin Ahmed said the rule of law was the government’s principal objective, while improving law and order was its top priority. No deaths in crossfire or in custody had occurred so far, he said. However, the government would take all necessary measures to curb crime and ensure the proper enforcement of the law.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, BNP Acting Secretary General and Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi commented on the issue at a programme marking the 48th founding anniversary of Jubo Dal, the party’s youth wing. The event, held in front of the BNP’s central office, was organised to inaugurate a free medical service.
Rizvi described the IGP’s remarks on crossfire as embarrassing for the government.
He said the comments had raised concerns because the BNP had long fought against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings, making it troubling to hear the police chief speak of crossfire while a BNP-led government was in power.
Immediately after the IGP’s remarks on Monday that the police would resort to crossfire if necessary with government permission, several political parties—including Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party (NCP), Islami Andolan Bangladesh and the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party—as well as various human rights organisations, expressed strong reactions and outrage.
Amid criticism of the IGP’s remarks, the Police Headquarters issued a clarification on Monday evening. It said the IGP had not used the term “crossfire” to mean extrajudicial killings or punishment outside the judicial process. Rather, the statement said, he had used the term to convey a tough approach to law enforcement against criminals.