No joint operation for now says Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has rejected reports that the government is planning a joint operation amid concerns over the deteriorating law and order situation.

He said no formal decision has been made to conduct a joint operation in the country.

The Home Minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists at the plaque unveiling ceremony of the new headquarters of Ansar and VDP in Tejgaon, Dhaka, on Thursday morning, October 1.

Public concern has grown over the law-and-order situation following several recent incidents including extortion, land grabbing, attacks and vandalism. Opposition parties have also said the government has failed to control the law-and-order situation.

Amid this situation, several media outlets reported that the government had planned to launch a joint operation. The Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman also told journalists on Wednesday that the government could take such a decision in the interest of the people.

However, the Home Minister expressed hope that the situation would be brought under control through the ongoing activities of the law enforcement agencies.

“Coordinated operations by the police, BGB, SRB and Ansar forces are a regular process. These operations are being conducted continuously to eliminate terrorism, extortion and drugs and will be strengthened further in the future,” he said.

The Home Minister also warned that if evidence is found of negligence of duty or involvement in criminal activities by any member of the law enforcement agencies, they will face not only withdrawal from duty but also departmental action and criminal cases.

He said, “December is our month of victory. No evil force will be able to create any kind of instability in the country during this month.”

Salahuddin said discipline is returning to Dhaka’s roads through the use of automation and AI technology in traffic management.

He also said instructions have been given to avoid cutting an entire road at once during road excavation and construction work. Instead, work should be completed in sections and the roads should be reconstructed immediately to prevent traffic congestion.

Regarding the headquarters of Ansar and VDP, Salahuddin Ahmed said the Ministry of Public Works has allocated 3.428 acres of land, equivalent to about 11 bighas. He said the headquarters will be moved to Tejgaon from its current location in Khilgaon because of space constraints and limitations in the transportation system.

He said there are currently around 20,000 Battalion Ansar members and 60,000 embodied Ansar members. In addition, the force has around 6 million trained members under 35,000 VDP team leaders.

Senior Secretary of the Ministry Manzur Morshed Chowdhury and Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud, Director General of Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Force, were present with the Home Minister at the event.