AL holds processions just to make 30-second videos: DMP commissioner
"There is no cause for panic,” he said
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzat Ali has said that the Awami League has recently been organising flash processions mainly to record short videos for social media, creating an illusion of large rallies that do not exist on the ground.
"Some people arrive on night coaches, display a banner for a short while, record a video, and post it on Facebook. It looks like a big procession, but in reality, it is nothing of the sort," he said this afternoon (23 October) while speaking to journalists after a road safety seminar jointly organised by the DMP and JICA at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
The commissioner noted that while the number of political programmes has increased, most of them are designed for social media.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"The power of social media cannot be denied, but there is no cause for panic," he said.
The DMP chief also observed that there had been no participatory elections in Bangladesh for the past 17 years.
Nearly half of the 200,000 members currently serving in the police force were recruited during this period, and many of them have never voted or had any experience performing election duties, he noted.
"Many of our members do not know how to perform election duties. That is why we are conducting training programmes nationwide — including within the DMP," he said, adding, "I always tell my officers that 100% neutrality must be maintained."
He said that ahead of the upcoming national election, police training programmes are being held across the country to prepare officers to properly discharge their duties.
On the issue of political unrest, the DMP commissioner said a "neutral and credible" environment is expected during the election. However, as the Awami League is unable to participate this time, they might try to create disorder.
"Awami League is attempting crude bomb blasts and acts of sabotage. But we are on maximum alert to ensure that no anti-state activities take place," he said.
He expressed hope that by the end of November, "a wonderful electoral environment" would be created.
"Now everyone is facing the election. People want to vote. Even those aged 35-40 have never cast a ballot in their lives. This is unfortunate for our country," the DMP commissioner said.
