Troops prepared for election duty: Army
Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Army on Monday announced that it is fully prepared to take part in duties related to the upcoming February elections, but is now waiting for formal directives from the Election Commission (EC).
“The army will carry out its responsibilities in accordance with the Election Commission’s instructions. However, we are yet to receive any official order,” said Colonel M Shafiqul Islam, Colonel Staff of the Military Operations Directorate, during a press briefing at Dhaka Cantonment.
He expressed hope that the directives would come soon and assured that troops would perform their tasks with the highest professionalism.
When asked about the recovery of arms lost during the unrest of last year’s July Uprising, Colonel Islam said nearly 80 percent of the missing weapons had been retrieved. Out of 12,119 stolen or looted firearms, 9,794 have been recovered, while 287,359 rounds of ammunition were recaptured from the 300,090 that went missing. He added that efforts were underway to recover the remaining arms and ammunition.
The spokesman said the army, currently engaged in assisting law enforcement, had so far arrested 17,926 people on various criminal charges, including 1,294 in the last month alone. Those arrested include members of so-called “juvenile gangs,” listed criminals, robbers, extortionists, and other suspects.
In the past month, troops also seized 65 illegal firearms and 297 rounds of ammunition during operations primarily targeting gangsters and robbers.
Colonel Islam also referred to the violent incident at Dhaka’s Kakrail on August 29, involving Gano Odhikar Parishad and Jatiya Party activists. He reiterated the earlier ISPR statement, saying that troops were deployed only after police failed to control the situation, and despite police requests, the agitators turned violent. Five soldiers and six policemen were injured, and a military pickup van was also damaged during the clash.
He further clarified the military’s role in the violence at Chattogram University on the night of August 31, which broke out between students and residents of a nearby village. Several police vehicles were vandalized and policemen injured before the troops, called in by police, managed to restore order by early morning.
On September 2, at Nilphamari’s Uttara EPZ, Evergreen Company workers staged violent protests over unpaid wages and alleged illegal layoffs. Several policemen and six army personnel were injured, one of the soldiers still receiving treatment in the ICU.
The colonel staff also said that apart from operations in plain areas, the army continued drives in the southeastern Hill Tracts. In Ramu, Bandarban, troops dismantled a secret hideout of the banned KNF armed group and seized military hardware from the site.
He added that 37 suspected “terrorists” linked to groups such as JSS, UPDF, and MLP were also arrested during ongoing operations.
Apart from these, Colonel Md. Shafiqul Islam said there is no scope to belittle the freedom fighters and the Liberation War through any “mob” or anything else, remarked Army Headquarters.
He further said, “Bangladesh was born through the Great Liberation War. Therefore, just as we have always shown due respect to the freedom fighters in the past, we do so today, and we will continue to honor them in the future.”
Regarding responsibilities in the national election, Colonel Staff Md. Shafiqul Islam said, “The government or officials have not yet informed us officially. Even so, the army has made internal preparations. The army will carry out its duties exactly as directed by the Election Commission.”
On the issue of deteriorating law and order despite repeated warnings, Colonel Shafiqul Islam said, “The army alone does not work to maintain law and order. Law enforcement agencies and various other organizations are also working on this.
If everyone works together in a coordinated and united way, rapid improvement in the law-and-order situation is possible. In fact, that process has already begun.”