Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Choudhury today (Aug 4) said there is no reason to panic over August 5, as the government has taken all necessary measures to maintain law and order ahead of the upcoming national election.
“If Allah wills, the election will be held with this very force, and it will be free, fair, and peaceful,” he told reporters after a meeting of the core committee on law and order at the home ministry in the capital.
Responding to a question about growing public concern over August 5, the adviser said, “People were also worried about August 3, but nothing happened. Likewise, there’s no reason to fear August 5. Inshallah, all scheduled programmes will be held peacefully. We seek your cooperation—if you go out and observe, you’ll see everything is running smoothly.”
He said regular meetings are being held to keep the authorities alert and responsive.
“The government is always cautious, and we ask the media to cooperate with us as well,” he added.
Regarding the ongoing special operations, the adviser said the drives are being carried out across the country and will continue until the election.
“We have not yet recovered all the weapons that were lost. Efforts are underway, but when we focus on one front, crimes tend to rise on another,” he noted.
Citing a recent incident, he said, “Last Saturday in Mohammadpur, four young boys were detained. When questioned, they said, ‘He tripped me while leaving, so I took a machete to attack him.’ This didn’t happen before. We need greater public awareness. Families must guide their children.”
On mob violence, Jahangir Alam said, “It has decreased compared to previous times and will continue to decline. We are not showing any leniency.”
He further said, “It’s not our concern who participates in the election or not. Our responsibility is to ensure that law and order is maintained. We are providing training, and the government has approved an increase in force numbers.”
“We are providing equal protection to all parties. However, those identified as more vulnerable receive slightly more attention,” he added.
MN/
