Law enforcers ready for election

Law enforcement agencies are fully prepared to provide security in the upcoming elections, said Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury yesterday.

"Law enforcers will be ready whenever the election date is announ-ced," he told reporters in response to a question about election security when he visited the Rab-1 headquarters in the capital's Uttara.

When asked about the recent incident in Patuakhali, where Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur was attacked allegedly by BNP activists, the adviser said isolated political violence did not indicate a collapse of the rule of law.

"Small incidents will happen -- they've been happening over the last 53 years. If everything were perfect, we wouldn't need a police force. The playing field may never be completely even, but we aim to minimise the gaps as much as possible."

Jahangir Alam urged the media to act responsibly ahead of the polls, particularly regarding sensitive information.

"Please do not publish fragmented reports. Whatever you report, make sure it reflects the full context. Incomplete information can be twisted, especially by those outside the country," he cautioned.

He said that the overall law and order situation has significantly improved, citing the incident-free Eid holidays as an example of the police force's effectiveness.

"Just look at this Eid — there hasn't been a single major negative report. By the grace of Allah, everything went smoothly. That proves how much the law and order has improved," he told reporters after visiting the Armed Police Battalion (APBn) headquarters in Dhaka.

Acknowledging the occurrence of theft and mugging, he said no serious crimes were reported during the holiday period.

"Improvement has no limit; it requires constant effort," he said.

He also addressed a mugging incident in Uttara, where over Tk 1 crore was stolen by men in Rab uniform. "Even if they're Rab members, they won't be spared. Many are dressing in police, Rab or Ansar uniforms to commit crimes— we're taking action against them too."

The home adviser further clarified the ongoing debate around lethal weapons.

"These days, even a pencil can be lethal. So yes, APBn personnel carry rifles — that's standard. Their role is different from regular police — in wartime, they may have to fight alongside the army."

The adviser also raised concerns over repeated pushbacks of people across the border from India.

"We've informed India through diplomatic channels, including our foreign ministry and their high commissioner in Dhaka. If any of our citizens are in India, we will take them back — but through proper channels, not by abandoning them in forests or rivers. That is inhumane, and we've issued a strong protest," the adviser added.