Field administration and law enforcement agencies must make proper preparations for fair elections -Home Affairs Adviser Jahangir
S A Shofiee, Sylhet:
Advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Agriculture, Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.), said that the people will play the main role in the free, fair and participatory election process.
Field administration and law enforcement agencies must make proper preparations for fair elections
He said this at a view-sharing meeting at the Sylhet Deputy Commissioner’s conference room on Monday (September 1).
All the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of Sylhet Division, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Bangladesh Border Guard (BGB), Ansar, Prisons Department, Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, Immigration and Passport Department, Narcotics Control Department and officials of various departments and organizations of Sylhet district under the Ministry of Agriculture were present at the view-sharing meeting.
Regarding the next action plan of the interim government, he said that the main goal of the government is to implement the aspirations of the people by transferring power to the political government through a fair, free and participatory election.
Stating that the role of the field administration and law enforcement agencies is important in making the election fair, he said that only the preparation of the Election Commission is not enough, the field administration and law enforcement agencies must make proper preparations. The administration and law enforcement agencies must work together to create an environment where the people can attend the polling stations and vote without fear. Without the full cooperation of everyone, a fair election is not possible.
Regarding the internal reforms of the law enforcement agencies, including the police, he said that the recruitment process and posting of the forces have become much more transparent than before. Therefore, everyone must perform their duties impartially. Stating that drugs are one of the main threats to the overall security system of the country, he directed the law enforcement agencies to adopt zero tolerance towards drug dealers. He also said that they should always be vigilant against the stone-throwers of Sylhet to protect the environment.
Emphasizing the development of agriculture and farmers, he said that in addition to increasing production, it is necessary to ensure that farmers get fair price for their products. He also gave instructions to bring fallow agricultural lands under cultivation.
The officials present at the meeting highlighted the overall law and order situation and challenges in Sylhet and gave various opinions.
The advisor assured to take rational steps to address all the challenges.
At the end of the meeting, he spoke to journalists. At this time, Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that this time, Navy and Air Force members will also work along with other forces in the election.
In response to a question, he said that the role of Ansar at the polling stations will be increased, mentioning the most. The army will be on mobile duty. In addition, the Navy, Air Force and APBN will be on duty. In response to a question, he said that legal action is being taken against police officers Harun Or Rashid and Biplab Kumar Sarkar. In the meantime, a batch of 4,000 police officers has completed training. A new batch is undergoing training. Another batch will undergo training. Training will be given to police and other forces. It will start at Rajarbagh police line on September 7. The attack on Nuru, President of the Public Rights Council, termed it unfortunate and said that the government is investigating the incident. Regarding the unstable situation in various universities, he said that the teachers of the university are very competent, their problems can be solved through student-teacher discussions. The Home Advisor said that the government is working to recover weapons looted after August 5. Anyone who provides information in this regard will be rewarded. He also said that weapons are being recovered from the border area. Regarding the looting of Sadapathar in Sylhet, he said that the investigation committee of the Cabinet Division has extended the time for the looting. The matter is being looked after by the Department of Mineral Resources. Those responsible for the looting will be punished. It is worth noting that the Home Advisor arrived in Sylhet on Saturday night on a two-day visit. He held a meeting with administration officials on Sunday afternoon.
Earlier, he visited the BGB sector headquarters and police lines in Sylhet.
