Had I resigned I wouldn’t be sitting here: Home Affairs Adviser

Responding to rumours about his resignation, Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, “If I had resigned, I would not be sitting here.”

He made the comment at a press conference at the conference room of the Ministry of Home Affairs at the Secretariat on Monday, in response to a question from a journalist after the 18th meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Law and Order.

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that today’s meeting discussed overall security preparations for the upcoming 13th parliamentary election, a review of the progress of Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2, preparations for Jagannath University Central Students’ Union election, law-enforcement preparedness for the celebration of Christmas—the main religious festival of Christians—and 31st Night, and the issue of quickly arresting the prime suspect in the murder of July frontline fighter Sharif Osman Hadi and bringing him under the law.

The Home Affairs Adviser said that so far 17 people have been arrested in connection with the attacks on the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. He added that security for the editors of the two newspapers has been strengthened.

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the government has no information about the whereabouts of Faisal Karim Khan, the prime accused in the murder case of Inqilab Moncho convener Sharif Osman bin Hadi. In this regard, he said, “If we knew where the accused was, we would have arrested him. He could be inside the country or outside. The accused did not go abroad legally. Whether he went illegally—there is no information about that.”

He said that his ministry, along with the current interim government, is giving the highest importance to bringing to justice those involved in the murder of July mass-uprising frontline fighter Sharif Osman Hadi. The government is determined to ensure justice in this incident. No one involved in this murder will be given any leniency. Already, 10 people involved in the killing have been arrested by the joint forces (police, RAB and BGB). However, due to the need to uncover the motive behind the murder and for reasons of confidentiality, it is not possible to disclose details at this time.

He assured that significant progress has been made. Law-enforcement agencies are making relentless efforts to identify and arrest the main mastermind. Based on intelligence information, the BGB detained five people, including associates of a broker group ringleader Philip, on suspicion of involvement in the incident. They have been handed over to the police through proper legal procedures.

The Home Affairs Adviser mentioned that maximum security measures have been taken in view of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s arrival in the country on 25 December.

He also said that 10 people have been arrested in connection with the incident in Mymensingh where a garment worker was beaten and burned to death.

Mentioning that law-enforcement agencies are continuing operations to recover looted and illegal weapons, the Home Affairs Adviser said that to further intensify and accelerate the operation and to suppress fascist terrorists, a decision was taken to launch Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2 on 13 December.

Up to 20 December, 6,598 people were arrested in the operation. During the operation, 56 firearms, 437 rounds of ammunition, 137 cartridges and 62 locally made weapons were recovered. Grenades, mortar shells, gunpowder, fireworks and bomb-making materials were also seized. During this period, a total of 13,505 people, including 6,907 accused in cases and warrant-holders, were arrested. As part of Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2, 2,000 check-posts have been set up, through which various vehicles are being searched.

Stating that Christmas is the biggest religious festival for Christians, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that adequate security preparations have been taken to ensure the festival is observed in a safe, peaceful and festive atmosphere while maintaining religious solemnity.

He said that no fireworks will be allowed on Christmas and 31st Night. No events will be allowed by blocking or barricading roads. Adequate security arrangements have been made for every church. On this occasion, security is being strengthened in elite areas of the capital, including Gulshan and Banani. To keep traffic normal in the capital during Christmas and 31st Night, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will take necessary measures. In addition, law-enforcement agencies have intensified patrols and search operations across the city, he added.

The Home Affairs Adviser said that the meeting also discussed overall preparations for the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) election. He noted that the DUCSU, JUCSU, RUCSU and CUCSU elections have already been completed in a neutral, fair and peaceful manner. He expressed hope that the JnUCSU election will likewise be conducted fairly, safely, acceptably and peacefully.

At the press conference, it was said that several important directives have been given to law-enforcement agencies during the meeting. These include increasing arrests of terrorists and miscreants through Operation Devil Hunt Phase-2, further expanding and intensifying intelligence surveillance, keeping specialised forces on standby to protect key state installations (KPIs), increasing search operations by setting up check-posts at important locations including Dhaka metropolitan area, regularly monitoring the situation through the Police Headquarters control room, and continuously observing the law-and-order situation through CCTV cameras installed at various points in the city.

The Home Affairs Adviser also said that two-thirds of police training for the election has already been completed.