The army headquarters said incidents of ‘mob violence’ have decreased due to stern actions and the army will keep taking stern action against any mob violence or activities that create public sufferings in future.
Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam, Colonel Staff of Military Operations Directorate of army headquarters, made the remarks at a briefing at Officer’s Mess of Dhaka Cantonment.
“The army has taken and will continue to take strict action against any situation causing mob violence and public suffering, and compared to before, we have significantly reduced incidents of mob violence,” he said.
In response to a question regarding the upcoming national elections in February next year, Colonel Md Shafiqul Islam said, “We have not yet received any official instructions from the government. However, we will carry out election-related duties as per government directives.”
Regarding reports of people being 'pushed in' from India across various border points, Colonel Shafiqul Islam stated that Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Coast Guard remain vigilant. Patrols and intelligence surveillance along the border have been increased. However, the situation has not yet warranted the involvement of the army. The BGB and Coast Guard are handling the matter.
When asked about a report by the International Crisis Group mentioning that Rohingya armed groups are becoming more aggressive following the rise of the Arakan Army, Colonel Shafiqul Islam said, “We do not have detailed information on this matter at the moment.”
The briefing stated that the army has recovered 56 illegal firearms and 990 rounds of ammunition in the past three weeks. Since August of last year till now, the army has recovered 9,667 illegal firearms and 286,754 rounds of ammunition. Moreover, a total of 15,262 individuals have been arrested by the army, including members of juvenile gangs, listed criminals, robbers, and other offenders.
Asked if a list of top criminals is being prepared, especially after the recent arrests of top criminals including Subrata Bain, Colonel Shafiqul Islam said that secrecy is maintained regarding the arrest of top criminals or any offender. The drive to arrest top criminals will continue.
The briefing also disclosed that the army’s operations against drug-related crimes are ongoing.
A total of 452 drug dealers have been arrested in the last three weeks. Since last August, a total of 5,476 people involved in drug-related crimes have been arrested.
The briefing also mentioned that before and after Eid-ul-Azha, the army conducted special operations for two weeks. To ensure smooth traffic on national highways, the army carried out day-and-night patrols at major bus stands, railway stations, launch terminals, and highways.
To control excessive speeding of vehicles, checkposts were set up at key points, and efforts were made to prevent ticket black marketing and overpricing. Based on complaints of charging extra fares during Eid travel, operations were conducted against 1,255 vehicles, recovering Tk 3526,233, which was refunded to the passengers, the briefing added.