‘No Hefajat leaders, supporters to be arrested without allegations’ says Liberation war affairs minister

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque today said that no Hefajat-e-Islam leaders or supporters will be arrested in the future without any specific allegations against them.

He was addressing reporters at the secretariat after the end of a cabinet committee law and order meeting today. The minister is the chairman of the committee.

Hefajat issues were discussed in the meeting. No one has been arrested without specific allegations and it has been decided that no one will be arrested in the future without specific allegations, he said.  

"We will take action if evidence is found against anyone involved in crime," he said.

Foreigners' involvement in crime

Mozammel Haque said some foreign nationals, whose visas have expired, are staying in the country with different excuses including closure of airline services and lack of money for return.

Most of these foreigners are involved in crime, he said. Arrangements will be made to bring them under the purview of law.

The government will pay the ticket fare for those with no money and deport them, said the minister.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Law Minister Anisul Huq, Expatriates Welfare Minister Imran Ahmad and State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain were also present in the meeting, among others.

In reply to a query, Mozammel Haque also said that snatching of Planning Minister MA Mannan's phone was an isolated incident.

Terming the incident sad and worrying, the minister said question arises as to the condition of the common people when a minister's mobile is snatched away.

Home Ministry to issue NID

All services regarding to National Identity (NID) cards will be provided by the Home Ministry within the next two months, said Mozammel.

"NID cards must be issued within 30 days of submitting applications. Or else, they will have to submit explanation. People have suffered a lot," he said.  

The Election Commission is entrusted with the responsibility of preparing the voter list and holding elections, said the minister.