Police had information but ‘could not anticipate’ it

Activists and leaders of the banned Awami League held a procession in broad daylight in Gulshan last Friday. The incident sparked discussions and criticism over the role and activities of the police. However, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed believes there was no negligence on the part of the police.

The Home Minister claimed that intelligence information about the incident was available. However, the police could not properly understand or anticipate the matter at the specific time.

Salahuddin Ahmed made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists at the conference room of the Home Ministry after a meeting held at the Secretariat on Tuesday to address traffic congestion caused by mega projects in Dhaka.

Responding to a journalist’s question about recent flash processions by banned organizations in the capital and the Gulshan incident, the Home Minister said people from banned organizations sometimes gather in small numbers after Fajr prayers and hold flash processions while recording videos.

“There was intelligence information about the activities they carried out in Gulshan under the pretext of attending Friday prayers. However, the police could not properly understand or anticipate the matter at that specific time on Friday. There is no scope to call it a direct intelligence failure. Legal action was taken later,” the Home Minister added.

The Home Minister also spoke about the recent law and order situation in the capital. He said, “Law enforcement agencies must remain alert so that no banned organization or criminal group can disrupt public safety. At the same time, efforts are continuing to identify criminals after any incident and bring them under the law.”

Salahuddin Ahmed also said that a decision had been made to intensify drives against illegal charging points to ease traffic congestion in the capital and bring greater order to the traffic system. “The government is working to gradually remove risky battery powered rickshaws and unauthorized vehicles from main roads and bring them under proper regulation,” he added.

More than 60 people have been arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) for allegedly taking part in flash processions by the banned Awami League and the banned Chhatra League in Gulshan last Friday.

In this case, Gulshan Police Station Sub Inspector (SI) Md Mahbub Hossain filed the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The case names 118 people as accused and includes 80 to 100 unidentified accused.