Ansar not given power of arrest: Home minister

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said the Ansar has never been given power of arrest, and won't be given.

He also said termed the news that Ansar would be given the power to arrest offenders is a wrong one.

The home minister made the remark while replying queries from newsmen after an inter-ministerial meeting to mark the victory day at the secretariat on Wednesday.

When asked whether Ansars are being given power of arrest, Asaduzzaman Khan said, "This is a misinformation.  It is your misconception. From a wrong perspective, you are asking the question. Ansars were never given power of arrest and will not be given in the future. We have no power to provide Ansars with the power of arrest through any law. The main thing is all the law enforcing agencies have to work under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)."

The home minister said a bill has been placed in the parliament and the parliament committee will examine it. If there is a word or a sentence regarding providing power of arrest to Ansars that would be amended. There is no scope to go beyond the existing law, he added.

Saying there is no scope of misunderstanding, Asaduzzaman Khan said, "It is being publicised in many places, and published in different media outlets that Ansar is taking away the power of police. These are all propaganda and misinformation. Such an incident has not happened. We always say both of these are security forces."