Concern over security of field administration growing: Admin officials

Concerns over the security in the field administration are growing after repeated attacks on the government offices and establishments in different parts of the country, officials have said.

Police have become more alert about their own security after police lines and police stations came under attack during the recent violent incidents.

As a result, the security of upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) and assistant commissioners (AC land) is at risk.

Public administration senior officials said police aim at preventing attacks whenever any untoward incident breaks out. In several recent incidents, police could not reach in time, the officials added.

Local government division senior secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed on Tuesday posted a status on the Facebook group of Bangladesh Administrative Service Association over the security issue.

In the post, he asked the UNOs and AC land to be cautious of their security following the incidents of attacks at the government offices.

Helal Uddin Ahmed requested the UNOs and AC land to ask Ansar members deployed for their security to keep arms and bullets on hand all the time.

He is former president of admin cadre officials' platform Administrative Service Association.

Helal Uddin said UNOs and AC land are coming under attack while maintaining law and order. To prevent the attacks on police stations, the law enforcers are unable to provide security of UNOs and AC land. As a result, police cannot reach the spot of incident in time, he added.

The senior secretary in the post also wrote, "An anarchic situation was created in the country over the visit of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi. The law and order deteriorated to a great extent. The destructive activities of a section of religious fanatics prove the rise of anti-liberation forces in the country."

Speaking to Prothom Alo about the post, Helal Uddin said, "I have posted the status in our own group. We have taken a project of Tk 1500,000 for the security of UNOs and AC land."

Sources said a total of 165 comments were made on the status till Wednesday evening. Admin cadre officials expressed solidarity over the statements of Helal Uddin.

Admin cadre officials said the officials of those areas where the incidents of attacks and arson took place are worried over their security.

Former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder said UNOs, AC land and field officials represent the government. They carry out the orders of the government. UNO's cars are torched if they want to enforce lockdown. UNOs and AC land need security, the former cabinet secretary added.

Centering the visit of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on 26-27 March, the incidents of attacks and violence took place in different districts including Dhaka, Chattogram, Brahmanbaria, Faridpur, Kishoreganja and Narayanganj. As many as 17 people were killed in these incidents. The government offices were vandalised and torched.

Besides, the office of Faridpur's Saltha upazila UNO and the police station were vandalised and torched on Monday night. Cars of UNO and AC land were torched.

In the parliament on 4 April, home minister Asaduzzaman Kahn said there is a motive behind these destructive activities.

On the following day, speaking to Prothom Alo, the home minister said properties worth Tk 1 billion (100 crore) were lost in the three-day violence centering the demonstrations of Hefazat.

*This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.