On the deployment of the army in six districts of the country, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said: ‘Law and order has not deteriorated, and the government is always active. Having observed the subversive activities of the banned Awami League, the army has been deployed in six districts on the basis of intelligence.’
He made the remarks on Monday while speaking to journalists at his office in the Secretariat.
The home minister said law and order was currently better than before. Holding meetings and rallies was the opposition’s democratic right, and democracy was developing through it, he said.
‘Law and order has not deteriorated, but we always have to stay alert,’ the home minister said. ‘Some subversive activities of the banned mafia force, the Awami League, are being noticed. In various districts, we have seen that they have taken up activities such as processions and meetings. It seemed that they might be plotting to create unrest.’
‘For this reason, we have instructed all our forces to remain alert, as they always are,’ he said. ‘Beyond that, from today until June 30, we have brought in our army members and given them civil powers in accordance with the law, so that any kind of subversive activity can be dealt with; that is why this has been done. But the deployment of the army does not mean any lack of confidence in the police force. We always bring in the BGB or the army when needed. After being in the field for about a year and a half, the army was withdrawn on June 15.’
Salahuddin Ahmed said: ‘After our elected government came in, the army was withdrawn from the field as soon as possible. But the present situation has no connection with the situation during the time of the interim government. The army has been deployed in the districts where subversive activity was attempted. Certain quarters are engaged in subversive activity to create instability in the country. As part of staying alert, we have deployed the army.’
Asked why a Narayanganj MP’s son, who was arrested and then released, had been arrested, the home minister said: ‘Everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. No MP’s son has any special privilege. There were various complaints against him with the police. For this reason, he was released on a bond after questioning.’
Asked whether, at a meeting with the Puja Celebration Committee, there had been any discussion of a Hindu woman’s demand for a separate province, he said: ‘We talked with them about protecting communal harmony in the country. The matter of that woman also came up. It could be a slip of the tongue on her part. She should be given that message. While giving speeches, many overenthusiastic people say many things.’
Earlier on Monday, the Home Ministry’s Political-2 section issued a letter seeking the army’s deployment. The letter said there was an apprehension of sabotage and disorder through illegal processions, showdowns and other programmes by various banned organisations in different places, which could worsen the overall law-and-order situation in various districts and cause extensive loss of life and property.
In this situation, to protect peace and order, ensure public safety and safeguard people’s lives and property in the Dhaka Metropolitan area, the Chittagong Metropolitan area, the Gazipur Metropolitan area, Narayanganj district, Gopalganj district and Faridpur district, the letter requested the necessary measures to deploy the required number of army members under ‘In Aid to Civil Power’ from Monday until June 30.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report