Staff Reporter :
In an effort to reduce public inconvenience caused by political gatherings, Home Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury has called on political parties and organizations to hold rallies at Suhrawardy Udyan instead of Shahbagh.
His remarks were made during a press briefing at the Ministry of Home Affairs following the third meeting of the Law and Order Advisory Council Committee on Tuesday.
Addressing the issue of frequent disruptions caused by protests, Jahangir Alam emphasized that rally participants can effectively present their demands to relevant government committees and commissions without resorting to street blockades.
He highlighted that this shift would significantly reduce public suffering, particularly in areas like Shahbagh, which often serves as a major hub for protests and demonstrations.
The adviser also raised concerns about the need to investigate the political affiliations of movement leaders involved in various protests. He stressed that the involvement of top criminals, some of whom are free on bail, must be scrutinized to prevent them from engaging in further illegal activities.
A key point discussed during the meeting was the ongoing efforts to recover illegal weapons. Jahangir Alam noted that law enforcement agencies had already confiscated a significant number of illegal arms and emphasized that this would remain a high priority moving forward.
Additionally, Jahangir Alam addressed the recent dismissal of 252 sub-inspectors (SIs) from the Sarda Police Academy in Rajshahi due to indiscipline. He clarified that there was no political motivation behind the dismissals, noting that even larger numbers of officers had been dismissed in the past for similar reasons. “This was purely a matter of maintaining discipline and standards within the police force,” he stated.
Other important topics covered in the meeting included preparations for the upcoming Bishwa Ijtema, a large religious gathering, and strategies to strengthen the country’s counter-terrorism efforts.
Law enforcement agencies were urged to ramp up operations, with particular focus on arresting criminals and recovering illegal weapons to enhance public safety.